Maui Tragedy Ignites Controversy Over Hawaii Utility's Decision To Keep Power On During Wildfires

Just four days before the destructive brush fires swept through portions of Maui, meteorologists issued alerts about hazardous fire conditions attributed to strong wind gusts.

The Washington Post reported that Hawaiian Electric, the state's electric utility, however, refrained from implementing a proven safety measure: cutting off the power.

Despite being aware that a power shutdown would have been an effective preventive measure, the utility still needed to integrate this strategy into its fire mitigation protocols, records show.The choice not to enact the power shutdown exemplifies the utility's challenges in fortifying its aging infrastructure against the threat of wildfires.

According to the report, many states, including California, have adopted the safety strategy of cutting off the power following the nation's most destructive and deadliest fires in 2017 and 2018.

Also Read: Tragedy In Paradise: Thousands Flee As Hawaii's Maui Island Faces One Of Deadliest US Wildfires

Following the deadly Maui fires, Hawaiian Electric officials explained that they had been worried about would happen if they had turned off the power.

"They were not as proactive as they should have been," Potter said of Hawaiian Electric's fire-prevention planning, adding that there had not been any real meaningful action to "address some of those inadequacies in terms of wildfire."

The reason for the Maui fires, which have sadly become the second most deadly wildfire incident in recent U.S. history with a confirmed death toll of 80 people, is still being investigated. However, it might take several weeks or even months before the authorities can provide official conclusions.

On Friday, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez declared a thorough examination of the choices and regulations related to the fires, aiming for a comprehensive understanding.

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