Maui wildfire one month later: lawsuits, relief efforts pile up

As the people of Maui prepare to mark one month since a wildfire tore through the island, the focus has shifted from the initial devastation to lawsuits and relief efforts. The fire has killed at least 115 people, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

The death toll has not changed since Aug. 21. However, the number of people who remain unaccounted for has fluctuated in recent weeks.

On Aug. 24, police released a “credible” list, compiled by the FBI, of 388 missing people. After many people on the list and/or their relatives reported them safe, 245 names were removed on Sept. 1.

Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) had said the number of missing would drop to double digits. However, when police released its Sept. 1 update, there were 263 newly added names, for a new total of 385.

“The official number has been 385 which includes FBI numbers and people giving names,” Gov. Green said in a video posted to X. “But there are only 41 active investigations after people filed a missing person’s report.”

While formal investigations to determine the official cause of the fire are ongoing, about a dozen lawsuits have already been filed against Hawaii Electric Company. The utility serves 95% of Hawaii’s electric customers. In one of the lawsuits, Maui County accused Hawaii Electric of failing to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions.

In a separate case, lawyers for Lahaina residents and business owners told a court that that cable TV and telephone companies share responsibility for the disaster. The lawyers visited a warehouse where Hawaiian Electric Company is housing power poles and electrical equipment. There, they found the cables were attached in a way that put too much tension on the poles, causing them to lean and break in the wind.

“In a disaster of this magnitude, it takes some time for all the potentially responsible parties to come into focus and be brought into court,” MaryBeth LippSmith, co-founder of LippSmith LLP , said on Sunday, Sept. 3. “Our investigation thus far shows a constellation of many serious failures that together led to this horrible tragedy.”

As the lawsuits over the Maui wildfire proceed, so do relief efforts for those affected. More than 1,000 FEMA personnel have been on the ground in Maui. The agency has given more than $19 million in assistance.

The American Red Cross has provided meals, mental health support and financial assistance to the nearly 6,000 people staying at hotels that are serving as temporary shelters. Last week, Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson announced a $10 million fund that makes direct payments to those unable to return to their homes.