Lawsuit against power company alleges blown-over power lines led to wildfire spread
From CNN’s Andy Rose
A lawsuit filed against Hawaii’s main electric provider alleges that electrified power lines blown over by high winds during Hurricane Dora led to the spread of the deadly Lahaina wildfire.
The complaint was filed Saturday by three law firms on behalf of a couple living in Lahaina against Hawaiian Electric Industries and three subsidiaries, including the power utility that services Maui.
Attorneys are asking a judge to certify the case as a class action suit covering everyone who lost property or was physically hurt in the Lahaina fire.
“These power lines foreseeably ignited the fast-moving, deadly, and destructive Lahaina Fire, which destroyed homes, businesses, churches, schools, and historic cultural sites,” the lawsuit alleges.
Wildfire cause remains unknown: Maui Mayor Richard Bissen acknowledged Thursday that power lines that were “still energized” had fallen on the roads, but the new lawsuit does not state exactly how the power lines allegedly ignited the wildfire. An official cause of the wildfire has not yet been determined.
The fires on Maui started spreading widely Tuesday — fueled in part by violent winds from Hurricane Dora, churning more than 800 miles away — decimating homes and businesses, launching urgent rescue missions, knocking out power and communication services, and even forcing some people into the ocean to avoid being burned.
The allegations: The suit alleges that Hawaiian Electric Industries "chose not to deenergize their power lines during the High Wind Watch and Red Flag Warning conditions for Maui before the Lahaina Fire started," despite knowing the risks.
The company and subsidiaries "also chose not to deenergize their power lines after they knew some poles and lines had fallen and were in contact with the vegetation or the ground," the suit alleges.
Utility's response: Hawaiian Electric vice president Jim Kelly told CNN Sunday via email that, "as has always been our policy, we don’t comment on pending litigation.”
“Our immediate focus is on supporting emergency response efforts on Maui and restoring power for our customers and communities as quickly as possible. At this early stage, the cause of the fire has not been determined and we will work with the state and county as they conduct their review," Kelly said.
Government officials in Hawaii repeatedly declined to say last week what could have been done to prevent the wildfire spread, saying that will be determined by a “comprehensive review” ordered by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.
This post has been updated with additional information.
18 min ago
Hawaii senator says she won't "make any excuses" as state reviews its wildfire response
From CNN’s Raja Razek
As the deadliest US wildfire in more than 100 years broke out and Maui lost power and communications, the largest siren system in the world remained silent. Some residents say they did not receive an official warning, and there have been complaints that officials were woefully unprepared for wildfires.
"I am not going to make any excuses for this tragedy," US Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii told CNN's Jake Tapper Sunday. "But the attorney general has launched a review of what happened with those sirens and some of the other actions that were taken."
The senator added that there will be a time coming up for those kinds of reviews and investigations, but she is now focused on the need for rescue.
Hirono spoke with Tapper Sunday morning, a day after surveying the damage on Maui with the state's governor and the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"The entire historic town of Lahaina burned to the ground," she said, adding that there were images of cars that were totally demolished. "We saw a group of cars near the ocean, and it is quite clear that the occupants of those cars probably fled into the ocean, and I was told at least 12 people were rescued from the ocean in that location."
The senator also discussed the people who are still missing, saying "we are in a period of mourning and loss."
"Some of them have been accounted for, some of them have been found in the shelters," she said. "I visited one with some 400 residents sleeping on cots, and we are going to need to provide them with short-term and long-term housing."
Hirono also spoke about resources and government agency support while acknowledging the state is in a period of "shock and loss."
"We know that recovery will be long, and the resources will be necessary," she said. "The focus right now is truly on recovery. There are still people who are unaccounted for. They need to be identified. There is a call for people to come in to provide DNA."
On climate change, and if the senator would like President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency, Hirono said "we very much need to acknowledge that climate change is upon us," adding that "more needs to be done."
"There is not enough recognition that we are going to need to combat these kinds of wildfires," she said. "We need to be to be assessing our ability to contend with these kinds of natural disasters, which we are seeing more of the frequency and the damage that is done. Clearly, this is happening all across the world," the senator added.
18 min ago
Maui faces struggle between housing for displaced residents and tourism
From CNN’s Andy Rose
As the Hawaiian island of Maui receives help from around the world in recovering from its deadly wildfires, some residents say the greatest need is something that can’t be shipped in from the mainland: a place to stay.
“We're short on housing here,” Mike Cicchino told CNN’s Jessica Dean on Sunday. His family is now staying in Kihei after the fire encroaching on his Lahaina home forced him to take refuge along the seawall for 12 hours. “We just went through a nightmare, and we're about to go through another nightmare trying to, basically, not stay homeless.”
Hawaii officials have stressed in news briefings that the island is not closed to tourists, particularly the eastern side that was unaffected by wildfires. While one runway of Kahului Airport has been closed to general aviation in order to allow more cargo shipments in, the Department of Transportation said commercial flights onto Maui are unaffected. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the island to effectively shut down its largest economic engine for months, and officials are anxious not to discourage visitors again.
Cicchino said that is effectively forcing evacuated residents of West Maui to compete with tourists for housing.
“I hate to say it, but I think they should put a little hold on people coming to visit because we don't have any places for locals to stay,” he said. “They're going to need those hotel rooms. They're going to need our Airbnbs, Vrbos."
While there are mass shelters available for evacuees, Cicchino says he’s not sure how long that can be a viable solution.
“We're in desperate need out here,” he said. “A lot of people have nowhere to go.”
18 min ago
Here's how to know your wildfire relief donation is going to a legitimate charity
From CNN's Samantha Delouya
If you’re looking to donate money to help those affected by the wildfires in Hawaii, it’s important to follow certain steps to ensure your money is going to the right place.
Here are tips to make sure your donation is going to a legitimate charity:
How to pick the organization: Several sites help people find and support legitimate charities, including Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance and CharityWatch. Dig deeper into an organization’s reputation after finding a legitimate charity you’re considering supporting.
The US Federal Trade Commission suggests when conducting an online search of any charity, you should add the words “complaint,” “review,” “fraud,” or “scam” to the search terms.Doing this should bring up any bad reviews or red flags about the organization.
It’s also helpful to know if the group you’ve selected is registered as a 501(c)3, meaning it’s registered as a tax-exempt non-profit. Look up the organization in the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search. If the charity is a registered 501(c)3, you may want to save a record of your contribution since it’s tax deductible.
When you feel confident about making your donation, it’s best to use a credit card or check, since those types of payments are easily traceable. After contributing to a charity, review your bank account and credit card statements to ensure you’ve only been charged the agreed-upon amount.
Tips for donating through a platform like GoFundMe: When donating through a platform like GoFundMe, ActBlue or WinRed, make sure to check whether the site is keeping some of your donation as a processing fee.
For many crowdfunding sites, your money will first go directly to the crowdfunding organizer, and not necessarily the end-recipient of the donations. So double-check that the organizer will pass along the funds to the person or cause they claim to be supporting.
Be on the lookout for scams: Don’t let anyone rush you into donating on the phone on the spot; take time to do the proper research. Never donate with a wire transfer or gift card, which is difficult to track if something goes awry. Also, if an organization insists on a donation using cryptocurrency, another hard-to-track form of payment, that should set off alarm bells. Avoid sending funds from payment apps like Venmo or Zelle. Those apps should only be used to send money to people you know, since it’s difficult to recoup funds once someone receives them.
CNN Impact Your World is raising money to support relief efforts in Maui. Click here to help.
With communications down around the island, some families are still anxiously waiting to hear from residents. But there are stories of hope: A grandfather reached his family Sunday, three days after they last heard from him.
Here's how to help victims of the wildfires in Hawaii.
In an area with limited connectivity? Get the latest news here.
A lawsuit filed against Hawaii’s main electric provider alleges that electrified power lines blown over by high winds during Hurricane Dora led to the spread of the deadly Lahaina wildfire.
The complaint was filed Saturday by three law firms on behalf of a couple living in Lahaina against Hawaiian Electric Industries and three subsidiaries, including the power utility that services Maui.
Attorneys are asking a judge to certify the case as a class action suit covering everyone who lost property or was physically hurt in the Lahaina fire.
“These power lines foreseeably ignited the fast-moving, deadly, and destructive Lahaina Fire, which destroyed homes, businesses, churches, schools, and historic cultural sites,” the lawsuit alleges.
Wildfire cause remains unknown: Maui Mayor Richard Bissen acknowledged Thursday that power lines that were “still energized” had fallen on the roads, but the new lawsuit does not state exactly how the power lines allegedly ignited the wildfire. An official cause of the wildfire has not yet been determined.
The fires on Maui started spreading widely Tuesday — fueled in part by violent winds from Hurricane Dora, churning more than 800 miles away — decimating homes and businesses, launching urgent rescue missions, knocking out power and communication services, and even forcing some people into the ocean to avoid being burned.
The allegations: The suit alleges that Hawaiian Electric Industries "chose not to deenergize their power lines during the High Wind Watch and Red Flag Warning conditions for Maui before the Lahaina Fire started," despite knowing the risks.
The company and subsidiaries "also chose not to deenergize their power lines after they knew some poles and lines had fallen and were in contact with the vegetation or the ground," the suit alleges.
Utility's response: Hawaiian Electric vice president Jim Kelly told CNN Sunday via email that, "as has always been our policy, we don’t comment on pending litigation.”
“Our immediate focus is on supporting emergency response efforts on Maui and restoring power for our customers and communities as quickly as possible. At this early stage, the cause of the fire has not been determined and we will work with the state and county as they conduct their review," Kelly said.
Government officials in Hawaii repeatedly declined to say last week what could have been done to prevent the wildfire spread, saying that will be determined by a “comprehensive review” ordered by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.
This post has been updated with additional information.
As the deadliest US wildfire in more than 100 years broke out and Maui lost power and communications, the largest siren system in the world remained silent. Some residents say they did not receive an official warning, and there have been complaints that officials were woefully unprepared for wildfires.
"I am not going to make any excuses for this tragedy," US Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii told CNN's Jake Tapper Sunday. "But the attorney general has launched a review of what happened with those sirens and some of the other actions that were taken."
The senator added that there will be a time coming up for those kinds of reviews and investigations, but she is now focused on the need for rescue.
Hirono spoke with Tapper Sunday morning, a day after surveying the damage on Maui with the state's governor and the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"The entire historic town of Lahaina burned to the ground," she said, adding that there were images of cars that were totally demolished. "We saw a group of cars near the ocean, and it is quite clear that the occupants of those cars probably fled into the ocean, and I was told at least 12 people were rescued from the ocean in that location."
The senator also discussed the people who are still missing, saying "we are in a period of mourning and loss."
"Some of them have been accounted for, some of them have been found in the shelters," she said. "I visited one with some 400 residents sleeping on cots, and we are going to need to provide them with short-term and long-term housing."
Hirono also spoke about resources and government agency support while acknowledging the state is in a period of "shock and loss."
"We know that recovery will be long, and the resources will be necessary," she said. "The focus right now is truly on recovery. There are still people who are unaccounted for. They need to be identified. There is a call for people to come in to provide DNA."
On climate change, and if the senator would like President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency, Hirono said "we very much need to acknowledge that climate change is upon us," adding that "more needs to be done."
"There is not enough recognition that we are going to need to combat these kinds of wildfires," she said. "We need to be to be assessing our ability to contend with these kinds of natural disasters, which we are seeing more of the frequency and the damage that is done. Clearly, this is happening all across the world," the senator added.
As the Hawaiian island of Maui receives help from around the world in recovering from its deadly wildfires, some residents say the greatest need is something that can’t be shipped in from the mainland: a place to stay.
“We're short on housing here,” Mike Cicchino told CNN’s Jessica Dean on Sunday. His family is now staying in Kihei after the fire encroaching on his Lahaina home forced him to take refuge along the seawall for 12 hours. “We just went through a nightmare, and we're about to go through another nightmare trying to, basically, not stay homeless.”
Hawaii officials have stressed in news briefings that the island is not closed to tourists, particularly the eastern side that was unaffected by wildfires. While one runway of Kahului Airport has been closed to general aviation in order to allow more cargo shipments in, the Department of Transportation said commercial flights onto Maui are unaffected. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the island to effectively shut down its largest economic engine for months, and officials are anxious not to discourage visitors again.
Cicchino said that is effectively forcing evacuated residents of West Maui to compete with tourists for housing.
“I hate to say it, but I think they should put a little hold on people coming to visit because we don't have any places for locals to stay,” he said. “They're going to need those hotel rooms. They're going to need our Airbnbs, Vrbos."
While there are mass shelters available for evacuees, Cicchino says he’s not sure how long that can be a viable solution.
“We're in desperate need out here,” he said. “A lot of people have nowhere to go.”
If you’re looking to donate money to help those affected by the wildfires in Hawaii, it’s important to follow certain steps to ensure your money is going to the right place.
Here are tips to make sure your donation is going to a legitimate charity:
How to pick the organization: Several sites help people find and support legitimate charities, including Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance and CharityWatch. Dig deeper into an organization’s reputation after finding a legitimate charity you’re considering supporting.
The US Federal Trade Commission suggests when conducting an online search of any charity, you should add the words “complaint,” “review,” “fraud,” or “scam” to the search terms.Doing this should bring up any bad reviews or red flags about the organization.
It’s also helpful to know if the group you’ve selected is registered as a 501(c)3, meaning it’s registered as a tax-exempt non-profit. Look up the organization in the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search. If the charity is a registered 501(c)3, you may want to save a record of your contribution since it’s tax deductible.
When you feel confident about making your donation, it’s best to use a credit card or check, since those types of payments are easily traceable. After contributing to a charity, review your bank account and credit card statements to ensure you’ve only been charged the agreed-upon amount.
Tips for donating through a platform like GoFundMe: When donating through a platform like GoFundMe, ActBlue or WinRed, make sure to check whether the site is keeping some of your donation as a processing fee.
For many crowdfunding sites, your money will first go directly to the crowdfunding organizer, and not necessarily the end-recipient of the donations. So double-check that the organizer will pass along the funds to the person or cause they claim to be supporting.
Be on the lookout for scams: Don’t let anyone rush you into donating on the phone on the spot; take time to do the proper research. Never donate with a wire transfer or gift card, which is difficult to track if something goes awry. Also, if an organization insists on a donation using cryptocurrency, another hard-to-track form of payment, that should set off alarm bells. Avoid sending funds from payment apps like Venmo or Zelle. Those apps should only be used to send money to people you know, since it’s difficult to recoup funds once someone receives them.
CNN Impact Your World is raising money to support relief efforts in Maui. Click here to help.
