Certain terrible truths about the deadly Lahaina fire on Aug. 8, 2023, became evident immediately after the disaster, including these facts: Hours after the fire began, Maui’s mayor was unaware that it was uncontrolled or that it threatened all of Lahaina; and top emergency management agency officials at the county and state levels had no idea that people had died in the fire until the next day.
Cellphone communication, relied on to issue evacuation warnings, went down, and residents were left unaware of the threat’s extent. No alternative methods to warn of fire had been determined. Police and firefighters couldn’t quickly reach Hawaiian Electric to learn whether power had been cut from downed lines blocking roads. Roads over private lands that could have provided escape routes were gated and locked, with no provision for immediate emergency access.
The third and final report from the state Department of the Attorney General’s investigation into the Lahaina fires, released Tuesday, comes in response to these tragic developments, and focuses on recommendations to keep such deadly failings from ever reoccurring. The recommendations, painstakingly developed by the Fire Safety Research Institute, must now be diligently adopted, with cooperation by all pertinent entities, public and private.
In a finding that should shock the conscience, the report identifies “a statewide culture of dismissing and/or under-recognizing wildfire risk,” accompanied by chronic “underfunding and under-addressing of preparedness, planning, and mitigation efforts.” This has hobbled Hawaii’s fire preparedness and the effectiveness of fire response endangering communities and lives, and can no longer be tolerated.
A sea change is required. Hawaii must “establish a culture of respect for extreme conditions,” as the report recommends — understand that the risk for life-threatening disasters is magnified by climate change, and prepare accordingly.
A top priority is staffing an Office of the State Fire Marshal — first of all, by naming a marshal, though that still looks to be months away. Law allowing for this passed last year. The State Fire Council (SFC) recommends that the marshal’s office oversees fire-safe standards for buildings and developments, directs wildfire prevention and education, recommends legislation and coordinates between state agencies — a tall order that the SFC estimates would require 42 personnel and cost $4.4 million or more.
Gov. Josh Green has placed $2.2 million to inaugurate the office in his biennium budget for the Legislature to consider, but using the SFC input, right-sizing for timely ramp-up must occur.
Attention to the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) must also be an urgent priority. The report notes that the nonprofit HWMO leads Hawaii’s wildfire prevention action — yet astoundingly, receives no state funding. Dedicated funding to support HWMO’s work for wildfire prevention and preparedness is important, as is mandating coordination with HWMO by “communities and land stewards,” public and private.
The new report prioritizes one action above all, and that is “planning and accountability.” On a state and county basis, government must establish a framework of standards and regulations, education and enforcement to facilitate next steps. The Fire Marshal Office is essential as linchpin of all this follow-through, ensuring that it happens and that accountability is established for results.
A leader in the development of a comprehensive, coordinated fire safety program can also help to ensure, as the report recommends, that organizations don’t work in isolation or fall out of contact, reinvent processes that already exist or move too slowly. Otherwise, lack of accountability will almost surely stall forward momentum, betraying the expectations of Hawaii’s residents.
Communication and communication systems, which so devastatingly failed during the Lahaina fire, must also be addressed — now. The report calls for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) and fire marshal to assess these systems, including the use of emergency sirens, and to make processes redundant, so that gaps are filled under threat conditions. Knowing that lives were lost and placed in grave danger by communications failures during the Lahaina fire makes failure to act on this need inexcusable.
Establishing a clear chain of command and methods to communicate with utility operators, gatekeepers of private land necessary for escape routes and federal entities, such as the Coast Guard and National Guard, is of equal importance.
There are dozens of vital recommendations in this report (see 808ne.ws/finalfirereport Opens in a new tab), including a “roadmap” for counties to take action. Full compliance with each of these recommendations will require extensive, statewide effort and cooperation. In light of the risks — devastation of communities, lives lost, hopes dashed — there is no responsible choice other than to take this on, for the sake of a safer, more connected Hawaii.
