Hawaii attorney general investigation into deadly Lahaina wildfire won’t lead to criminal charges

By The Associated Press

FILE - Damaged property lies scattered in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jae C. Hong]

HONOLULU (AP) — An investigation by the Hawaii attorney general’s office into the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, which destroyed most of the historic town of Lahaina, won’t lead to any criminal charges.

Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez launched an investigation soon after last year’s wind-whipped Maui wildfires that claimed 102 lives. The Fire Safety Research Institute was selected to provide a scientific analysis of the fire and recommendations. The first phase of the investigation detailed communications problems while the second phase released last month described how a lack of planning by key agencies hindered efforts to evacuate.

The administrative investigation into past conduct didn’t reveal any facts that warranted criminal charges, Lopez said in a statement Thursday.

“Instead, the investigation revealed many instances of great heroism, and I wish to particularly commend Maui’s firefighters and police officers for their professionalism and bravery in extremely difficult circumstances,” the statement said.

The attorney general’s report noted some of the challenges facing officials and residents were particular to Hawaii and Maui, including narrow roads clogged with parked cars, private dirt roads blocked by gates and older, wooden homes separated by less than 6 feet (1.8 meters).

The attorney general’s office says the third and final phase will include a forward-looking report on the question of how to prevent the August 2023 tragedy from happening again. It’s expected to be released early next year.

In a separate investigation, officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maui Fire Department did not address liability but found that the wildfire erupted from an earlier brushfire, sparked by downed power lines, that firefighters believed they had extinguished.

Thousands of Lahaina residents have sued various parties they believe to be at fault for the fire, including Hawaiian Electric, Maui County and the state of Hawaii.

A few days before the one-year anniversary of the wildfires, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced a $4 billion settlement. That’s the amount the defendants have agreed to pay to settle claims.

But the deal is tied up in court. The Hawaii Supreme Court is considering whether insurance companies can go after the defendants separately to recoup what they’ve paid to policyholders.