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After California’s 2018 Camp Fire, that county’s district attorney brought criminal charges against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The utility ended up pleading guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter and one felony count of unlawfully starting a fire.
No such prosecution will be happening here over the Aug. 8, 2023, Lahaina wildfire that killed at least 102 people and caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damage. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez said Wednesday that no criminal charges will result from the state’s investigation, noting that Hawaii, unlike California, has no state statutes for criminal penalties for large wildfires.
As for any federal criminal charges, the U.S. attorney is staying mum. One hint, though: A recent report into the wildfire’s cause done by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — together with Maui’s Department of Fire and Public Safety — declared the Lahaina fire accidental.