Cause of Maui wildfire still unknown, Hawaii utility chief tells congressional leaders

WASHINGTON - The deadly wildfire that killed 97 people in Maui started from an unknown cause in the afternoon and was unrelated to a blaze earlier in the day sparked by downed power lines, the president of Hawaii's primary utility told congressional leaders Thursday.

But lawmakers didn't get a lot of other concrete answers to their questions about the fire as national leaders look for causes - and possible repercussions. Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura said it may take months for investigations to wrap up.

"We all want to learn what happened on Aug. 8 so that it never happens again,” Kimura told the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Hawaiian Electric serves 95 percent of the state's 1.4 million residents.

The Aug. 8 wildfires leveled a historic town, destroyed at least 2,200 buildings, and reduced ancestral landmarks to ashes.

Kimura insisted Thursday that the company followed its protocol on the day of the blaze. Downed power lines caused an early-morning fire but the devastating blaze that overtook parts of the island came from a second flame ignited hours after the first fire was put out, Kimura said.

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The two fires explained

Kimura said a fire that started around 6:30 a.m. that morning was caused by downed power lines. She said the initial blaze, which she called the “morning fire,” was fully contained by 9 a.m. and later extinguished by the Maui County Fire Department. 

But a second fire later that day around 3 p.m. began in the same area. The power lines had been deenergized for six hours by the time that “afternoon fire” started, Kimura testified. The cause for the second fire is unknown, she said.

Kimura said the company is conducting its own investigation into the fire. U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone asked Kimura whether the report will be made public once it concludes and Kimura said the company would be “sharing what’s critical.”

Utility officials questioned about prevention

Hawaii State Energy Office Chief Energy Officer Mark Glick said managing vegetation is a critical part of wildfire safety.

A longtime Maui resident who grew up next to the sugarcane fields where her father worked, Elsa Eberle told USA TODAY the land had been maintained with prescribed burns and kept healthy. However, when the site closed down, weed plants took over and served as dry fuel for the fatal blaze, Eberle said.

Democratic members of the subcommittee made multiple references to the looming government shutdown, which could ensue in two days if lawmakers can't reach a deal before 12:01 a.m. Sunday. All federal agencies deemed "non-essential" will be forced to halt operations in the event of a shutdown, including disaster relief by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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Democratic representatives remarked about whether it was the appropriate time for a hearing, considering the potential shutdown, which would affect the federal government's ability to aid in recovery efforts.

Hawaiian Electric facing slew of lawsuits

Maui County is among many taking legal action against the utility after the fire. On Aug. 24, the county filed a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries, claiming that the company acted negligently by not powering down electrical equipment sooner, despite a red flag warning on Aug. 7 from the National Weather Service. 

The county also claimed the company’s energized and downed power lines ignited grass and brush, and it failed the maintain the system and power grid, leading to systemic failures that caused fires last month.

Victims and survivors of the fire have also filed lawsuits against the utility.

‘A good start’: Maui wildfire victims react to hearing

Survivors and family members of people who died in the fire disaster attended the hearing Thursday and submitted written testimony as they were not invited to testify in person.

Kathleen Hennricks, whose sister died in the fire disaster last month, told USA TODAY after the hearing she was disappointed in some of Kimura’s responses. However, she said the hearing was "a good start."

“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” Hennricks said, noting she was pleased to hear some good questions and to feel heard by Congress. 

However, this was only a first step, Hennricks said, noting a long way left to go to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself.