The tragedy of Lahaina showed just how quickly a wildfire can be sparked and rage destructively out of control.

That’s why Hawaiian Electric’s new Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program must be heeded, not resisted. Really, it’s a program that only will be activated — meaning power would be surgically shut off in a limited area, temporarily — if extreme weather conditions deem it necessary. That means only if official weather data indicates drastic conditions for increased wildfire risk in an area, such as strong winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.

Be aware if you’re in a PSPS potential area; a detailed searchable map is at hawaiianelectric.com/pspsmaps.