Maui Fire Survivors

The Maui Fires began in early August 2023 as a series of wildfires on the island of Maui. This includes the Upcountry/Kula fire, Lahaina Fire, Pulehu/Kihei Fire, and Puʻukoliʻi/Kaanapali Fire. The fires on West Maui, and particularly the Lahaina Fire, were the most destructive, burning over 2,000 acres, destroying more than 2,700 structures, and causing an estimated $5.6 billion in damage.

While firefighting efforts continued into mid-August, officials from the Maui Police Department already confirmed a tragic statistic: the Maui wildfires are the deadliest wildfires to happen in the U.S. in over a century:

• • According to the latest Maui County update on 8/14, there are 96 confirmed deaths.
  • Officials expect the death toll to rise as cleanup efforts continue.

With over 100 deaths expected, numerous injuries, and billions in damage to homes, businesses, farmland, and irreplaceable pieces of Hawaiian history, the Maui wildfires have become some of the most devastating fires in U.S. history.

Investigations into the Cause of the Maui Fires Are Ongoing

As officials, residents, and emergency response crews continue their work to stamp out the wildfires and begin cleanup efforts, many are asking how the Maui fires were started.

As of mid-August, officials have not issued any confirmation on who is to blame. However, there are some things we know. This includes the fact that the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Maui and much of Hawaii, meaning that dry conditions, coupled with low humidity and high winds, set dangerous conditions for the wildfires.

In addition to environmental factors, investigators are exploring claims that Hawaiian Electric, which owns and operates Maui Electric and services 95% of the state, failed to implement precautionary safety measures to reduce wildfire risks ahead of the fires. Some of the alleged failures include:

• • No Power Shut-Offs. As reported by The Washington Post, Hawaiian Electric has been scrutinized for not deploying a “public power shutoff plan,” which involves intentionally shutting off electricity in areas where high wind events could spark fires, despite documents indicating that it knew power shut-offs were an effective strategy.
  • Poor Fire-Prevention Planning. In addition to claims that Hawaiian Electric failed to implement an emergency plan that included power shut-offs, some have criticized the utility for failing to bolster its vulnerable infrastructure against wildfires by burying power lines and taking other fire-prevention planning measures, especially as a Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization report dating back to 2014 identified Lahaina and other parts of West Maui as an extreme fire risk.

At Robins Cloud LLP and Wildfire Strong, our fire attorneys have decades of experience litigating utility-caused wildfires and have an arsenal of resources to conduct independent investigations of our own and maximize the monetary recovery for our clients. We are prepared to fight for fire victims against Hawaiian Electric to recover top dollar for their losses.

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Robins Cloud LLP and WildfireStrong are top-rated trial practices known for litigating some of the country’s most complex and high-stakes claims, including those arising from devastating wildfires in California and other states. As nationwide leaders in this field, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for victims and families and are available to discuss how we can help you.