Deadly Maui wildfire was sparked by downed power lines, investigation finds
The Maui wildfire that killed more than 100 people last year and destroyed Lahaina, Hawaii, was caused by downed power lines, investigators found.
A wildfire that killed more than 100 people on Maui, Hawaii, last year was sparked by "reenergized" broken power lines that ignited vegetation around a utility pole, according to findings released Wednesday by the Maui Fire Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators also determined that the fire in Lahaina on Aug. 8, 2023, was caused by a single fire that started shortly after 6:30 a.m. and reignited later in the day after firefighters left the scene thinking they had extinguished it.
There is no evidence to suggest the fire was intentionally set, Maui Fire and Public Safety Chief Bradford Ventura said.
Assistant Chief Jeffrey Giesea said, “We want to make abundantly clear to Lahaina and to our Maui community that our firefighters went above and beyond their due diligence to be as confident as they could be that the fire was completely extinguished before they left the scene.”
Officials do not know what caused the fire to rekindle later that day. They said it not uncommon when winds are high and conditions are dry.
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