Hawaii reportedly downplayed threat of wildfires for years prior to Maui blaze


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Hawaiian officials reportedly downplayed the threat of wildfires for years prior to the deadly blaze on the island of Maui last week, as records show a history of underfunding and lack of planning that may have contributed to the devastation.
Investigations from CNN and The Wall Street Journal found that Hawaii had dismissed wildfires as an event that could cause widespread damage to the state. A 2022 report from the State of Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) ranked tsunamis and hurricanes as the two likeliest occurrences to present a risk to Hawaiians. Out of 10 types of natural disasters, wildfires were the lowest threat on the list, with the report simply stating that the risk from wildfires to humans was "low."
Just 18 months after that report was published, a devastating wildfire struck Maui, leaving the coastal town of Lahaina in ruins and destroying more than 2,200 buildings, officials said in a press release. At least 93 people have died, and officials expect that number to keep rising as rescue workers make their way through the rubble. The wildfire was "likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history," Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) tweeted.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Beyond the 2022 report, other records show that the state was likely not prepared for a mass-casualty wildfire. A 2021 report from Maui County — where Lahaina was located — claimed that firefighting measures were "inadequate" despite an increase in wildfires seen that year. The report also said the local fire department had "nothing about what can and should be done to prevent fires" in their plans. It was concluded that there needed to be an increase in "firefighting cost overruns, response problems, and...budgetary pressures for additional fire prevention," but this didn't occur.
Hawaii Rep. Jill Tokuda (D) told "CNN This Morning" that the state had "underestimated the lethality" of wildfires.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Justin Klawans is a staff writer at The Week. Based in Chicago, he was previously a breaking news reporter for Newsweek, writing breaking news and features for verticals including politics, U.S. and global affairs, business, crime, sports, and more. His reporting has been cited on many online platforms, in addition to CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
He is also passionate about entertainment and sports news, and has covered film, television, and casting news as a freelancer for outlets like Collider and United Press International, as well as Chicago sports news for Fansided.
-
How will the writers' deal shape the future of Hollywood screenwriting?
Today's Big Question The post-strike entertainment industry could look very different for screenwriters
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Cozy box home
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Can Meta woo Gen Z with AI chatbots?
Talking Point Meta is set to release the first of dozens of AI 'personas' aimed at driving Gen Z engagement
By Theara Coleman Published
-
At least 1 dead at Burning Man as thousands remain stranded from flooding
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Earthquake rattles Southern California as Tropical Storm Hilary hits
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
‘Two Hawaiis now’: holidaymakers warned off wildfire-hit Maui
Talking Point Visitors asked to stay away as the Hawaiian island seeks to recover from devastating wildfires
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
Maui wildfire death toll hits 53, expected to rise, in Hawaii's 'largest natural disaster'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Maui wildfires kill 6, destroy historic tourist town Lahaina
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
3 Western states agree to cut Colorado River use in breakthrough water pact
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
'Out of control' wildfires lead to mass evacuation in Alberta, Canada
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
6 dead after rare Illinois dust storm causes highway pileup
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published