Maui County took decisive legal action on Thursday by filing a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric in connection with the devastating Lahaina wildfires. The lawsuit alleges that the utility company’s negligence led to the wildfires by failing to deactivate their electrical equipment despite severe weather conditions.
The lawsuit, submitted to Hawaii’s Second Circuit Court, argues that Hawaiian Electric was remiss in its duty to adequately maintain and repair electric transmission lines and related equipment, such as utility poles. Additionally, the suit contends that the company did not properly trim and manage vegetation to prevent contact with overhead power lines and other electrical components.
Legal representatives assert that the downfall of energized power lines triggered the ignition of dry fuel like grass and brush, thus initiating the fires. These wildfires ignited on August 8, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 115 lives and the destruction of over 2,200 structures.
As part of the lawsuit, other utility companies, including Southern California Edison Company, Pacific Gas & Electric, and San Diego Gas & Electric, are cited as examples of entities that implemented effective shut-off plans to prevent damages and safeguard lives. The lawsuit emphasizes that Hawaiian Electric should have followed a similar approach.
In response to the accusations, Hawaiian Electric, during a recent press conference, highlighted the absence of a formal shut-off plan in the state of Hawaii, contrasting it with the existence of such plans in California, Oregon, and Nevada.
This legal move follows a class action lawsuit filed by Lahaina residents on August 12, which also targeted Hawaiian Electric for keeping power lines operational as the wildfires erupted.
The economic consequences of the fires were substantial, causing damage estimated between $4 billion and $6 billion to Hawaii’s economy in the Lahaina and Kula communities, according to Moody’s RMS, a company specializing in risk modeling and solutions.