A $4 billion global settlement has been reached over liability for the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires in hundreds of lawsuits filed against Hawaiian Electric, Maui County, the state, large landowners and other defendants.

Gov. Josh Green announced the “historic settlement to resolve all tort claims arising from the Maui wildfires,” in a news release this afternoon.

“This Global Settlement of over $4 billion will help our people heal,” Green said in a statement. “My priority as Governor was to expedite the agreement and to avoid protracted and painful lawsuits so as many resources as possible would go to those affected by the wildfires as quickly as possible. Settling a matter like this within a year is unprecedented, and it will be good that our people don’t have to wait to rebuild their lives as long as others have in many places that have suffered similar tragedies.”

The seven defendants were the state of Hawaii, Maui County, Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools, West Maui Land Co., Hawaiian Telcom and Spectrum/Charter Communications.

Under the proposed settlement, which the governor’s office said is subject to court approval, the defendants will pay $4.037 billion for all claims, which included approximately 2,200 parties. The governor said the state would contribute to the settlement in addition to its $65 million contribution to the One Ohana Fund. Green said the state’s contribution to the settlement must be approved by the Legislature.

The settlement resolves the approximately 450 lawsuits filed by individuals, businesses, and insurance companies in state and federal courts for fires in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui, according to the news release.

“I’d like to acknowledge the work of our expert mediators and mahalo every party to the settlement for putting Hawaiʻi’s recovery and healing above personal or other interests. In the coming weeks, we’ll provide a detailed account of the numbers and costs and when resources will become available to survivors and their families. Overall, the total scope of the recovery, which includes past insurance claims, county, federal and state support, will approach $12 billion,” said Green.

“This was an extraordinary and unprecedented effort by many people to address the tragic impacts of the wildfires in less than a year,” Green continued. “Resolving this so quickly shows how Hawai‘i is different, how we come together in times of crisis to heal together as a community.”