Maui authorities determine official cause of deadly Lahaina blaze
The Maui Fire Department, with help from the ATF, determined that the fire on August 8, 2023, started from a single source: electrical lines. However, authorities said the incident unfolded in two distinct stages.
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MAUI, Hawaii – Hawaii officials have released a report outlining the cause and origin of the devastating Lahaina wildfire last year that claimed at least 102 lives and caused significant damage.
The Maui Fire Department, with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), determined that the fire on August 8, 2023, started from a single source: electrical lines. However, authorities said the incident unfolded in two distinct stages.
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On Wednesday, Maui Fire Chief Brad Ventura, Assistant Chief Jeffrey Giesea and ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais presented the findings at a news conference in Wailuku.
"The origin and cause of the Lahaina fire is clear: the re-energization of broken power lines caused sparks that ignited unmaintained vegetation in the area," Ventura said.
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According to authorities, the fire began at 6:34 a.m. near a utility pole on Lahainaluna Road. Sparks from re-energized, broken power lines ignited dry vegetation. Firefighters said they were able to contain the blaze by 9 a.m., with no signs of remaining flames, smoke or burning material.
However, despite extensive monitoring and resource deployment, undetected embers from the morning phase reignited at 2:52 p.m. fueled by strong winds, marking the start of the destructive afternoon phase.
"We want to make abundantly clear to the community that our firefighters went above and beyond their due diligence to be as confident as they could be that the fire was completely extinguished before they left the scene," Maui Assistant Chief Jeffrey Giesea said.
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The official cause of the fire is classified as accidental, officials said.
"Mahalo to the team from ATF for bringing their expertise to Maui to assist us with an extensive investigation into the fire," Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said. "They have dedicated hundreds of staff hours to the collection and review of evidence to provide us with a comprehensive report."
The full report can be found on the County of Maui and the ATF websites.