Maui officials promised to improve fire safety following the near-deadly blaze in 2018, but according to an investigation by The Washington Post, they failed to take broad action. The West Maui fires of 2018, fueled by hurricane winds, destroyed 21 houses, 27 cars, and over 2,100 acres of land. While no one died in the fires, officials warned that if the winds had been stronger, the toll could have been much worse.
The investigation found that Maui County leaders did not prioritize wildfires despite their hazard plan stating that West Maui had experienced more wildfires than any other community planning area in the last 20 years. The Maui Emergency Management Agency regularly warned county leaders that their staffing and evacuation infrastructure was inadequate, but staffing only increased from seven to nine employees between fiscal years 2020 and 2021.
The agency’s administrator, Herman Andaya, did not act on recommendations to include wildfires in the outdoor warning sirens and the agency never published its internal after-action report on the 2018 fires. Calls from residents and reports commissioned by the community to improve fire safety were also not broadly or swiftly acted upon.
Maui County officials did not respond to inquiries about the concerns raised by residents. Former mayor Alan Arakawa could not be reached for comment. The county has stated that their current priorities are helping fire victims recover, assisting in the search for missing loved ones, and restoring services.
The investigation also revealed that Maui County designated $1.1 million for emergency management in fiscal 2023, with nearly 85 percent of the funding coming from grants. The county’s small emergency response agency faced challenges beyond funding, as the coronavirus pandemic redirected resources into the public health response.
The Dizons, who lost everything in the 2018 fires, have been advocating for better disaster planning and a probe into the cause of the fires. The Maui Fire Department’s investigation into the fires was inconclusive, leaving the Dizons feeling like their concerns were being ignored.
Overall, the investigation highlights the lack of action and prioritization of fire safety by Maui County officials, despite the repeated warnings and calls for improvement from residents and experts. The failure to address these concerns has left the community vulnerable to future wildfires and raises questions about the county’s preparedness for future disasters.Maui officials promised to improve fire safety following the near-deadly blaze in 2018, but according to an investigation by The Washington Post, they failed to take broad action. The West Maui fires of 2018, fueled by hurricane winds, destroyed 21 houses, 27 cars, and over 2,100 acres of land. While no one died in the fires, officials warned that if the winds had been stronger, the toll could have been much worse. Despite these warnings, Maui County leaders did not prioritize wildfire prevention and response, according to The Post’s investigation.
The investigation found that the Maui Emergency Management Agency regularly warned county leaders that their staffing and evacuation infrastructure was inadequate to respond to a major disaster. However, the agency only increased staffing from seven to nine employees between fiscal years 2020 and 2021, even with a budget boost. The agency’s administrator, Herman Andaya, also did not act on recommendations to include wildfires in the outdoor warning sirens system. Andaya defended the decision not to activate the sirens on August 8, 2023, when the recent deadly fire broke out.
Furthermore, the county did not act on calls from residents and reports commissioned by the community to improve fire safety. Recommendations included removing dangerous vegetation and creating defensible spaces and fire breaks. The county also did not publish its internal after-action report on the 2018 fires, which should have included findings on what went wrong and recommendations for improvements.
Residents and activists in West Maui had been advocating for disaster planning and more emergency management funds for years, but their concerns were not taken seriously. The head of the West Maui Taxpayers Association, Joseph Pluta, said they had been “begging and begging and begging” for action, but there was little political will to prioritize emergency planning.
Maui County officials did not respond to inquiries about the concerns raised by residents and the findings of The Post’s investigation. Former mayor Alan Arakawa, who was in office during the 2018 fires, could not be reached for comment.
The investigation also revealed that Maui County’s emergency management department was underfunded and had to redirect resources to the public health response during the coronavirus pandemic. The county’s small emergency response agency faced challenges beyond funding, including broken and empty fire hydrants that hampered firefighting efforts.
The lack of focus on fire threats in Maui County is not unique, as many planning departments nationwide are underfunded. Local governments struggle to fund large-scale infrastructure projects and update building codes to ensure public safety.
The Dizon family, who lost everything in the 2018 fires, never achieved closure about the incident. Yolanda Dizon, who was hospitalized for burns, pushed for a probe into the fire’s cause but the findings were inconclusive. She continued to speak about the fire at county meetings until her death in May 2023.
The recent deadly fire in Lahaina has reignited the frustrations of residents who feel that their concerns were not taken seriously. They accuse officials of abandoning them and failing to prioritize their safety. The community is demanding answers and accountability from Maui County officials.Maui officials promised to improve fire safety following the near-deadly blaze in 2018, but according to an investigation by The Washington Post, they did not take broad action to address the issue. The investigation found that despite warnings from the Maui Emergency Management Agency about inadequate staffing and evacuation infrastructure, the county did not prioritize wildfires in their hazard plan. The agency’s administrator, Herman Andaya, did not act on recommendations to include wildfires in the outdoor warning sirens system and the agency never published its internal after-action report on the 2018 fires. Calls from residents and reports commissioned by the community to improve fire safety were also not broadly or swiftly acted upon by the county. The investigation highlights the lack of political will to prioritize emergency planning and the underfunding of emergency management departments nationwide. Maui County designated $1.1 million for emergency management in fiscal 2023, but the department faced challenges due to the redirection of resources during the coronavirus pandemic. The investigation raises questions about the county’s response to the recent deadly wildfire and the need for improved fire safety measures in the future.
How has the inconclusive investigation into the cause of the 2018 fires by the Maui Fire Department affected the perception of disaster planning and fire safety in Maui County?
Erything in the 2018 fires, has been advocating for better disaster planning and a thorough investigation into the cause of the fires. The Maui Fire Department’s investigation was inconclusive, leaving the Dizons feeling ignored and disregarded.
Overall, this investigation highlights the inaction and failure to prioritize fire safety by Maui County officials, despite repeated warnings and calls for improvement. The community remains vulnerable to future wildfires, raising concerns about the county’s preparedness for future disasters.
It’s disheartening to see elected officials failing to prioritize public safety, especially when they’ve made promises to do so. We need accountability and action now.