Investigators Identify Cause Of Deadly Maui Wildfire That Killed More Than 100

The deadly wildfire that killed 102 people and caused $5.5 billion in damages last year in Hawaii was caused by a downed power line, according to a report released Wednesday from local and federal investigators. 

Officials with the Maui Fire Department and the ATF both said that the August 8 fire that blazed through the island was determined to be one fire that arose from a “single origin and cause.” The investigators said the fire had a morning and afternoon phase and ruled it accidental. 

“The cause of the fire was the re-energization of broken utility lines which caused the ejection of molten metallic material (sparks) to fall to the base of pole 25, igniting the unmaintained vegetation below,” the report from the Maui Fire Department said, noting this happened at 6:34 a.m. 

A separate, but similar report from the ATF was attached as an appendix to the Maui Fire Department report. Both reports identified the same cause. 

Investigators added that the firefighters believed the blaze had been extinguished after they responded the morning of August 8. 

“Following the morning phase of the fire, all available indications showed the fire fully contained and extinguished—no flames, no smoke, and no perceptibly combusting material had been observed for hours,” the report said. “Despite the extraordinary diligence of personnel and the significant number of resources at the scene, undetected smoldering material from the morning phase of the fire initiated the afternoon phase of the fire in a gully adjacent to the existing fire area at [2:52 p.m.].”

The report said the surrounding vegetation made up of a variety of local grasses was highly flammable. The fire spread quickly due to “extreme winds” and most severely impacted Lahaina in West Maui. 

Investigators said there was no evidence that the fire was a result of intentional human activity or caused by lightning. 

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When commenting on the report, Assistant Maui Fire Chief Jeffrey Giesea said there was no blame for the firefighters who responded to the morning blaze.

“We want to make abundantly clear to the 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,” he said.

State and local officials came under intense scrutiny over their handling of the fire. Some survivors said that police blocked roads leading away from the blaze, causing a traffic jam as people attempted to escape. 

Earlier this year, Hawaii Governor Josh Green announced a $4 billion settlement to resolve a host of lawsuits brought by victims of the fire against a number of parties, including the state, county, and Hawaiian Electric company.