Thursday, October 3, 2024 Investigators have revealed the cause behind the Maui wildfire , which claimed the lives of at least 102 people in one of the deadliest blazes the United States has seen in over a century. The devastating fire, which erupted on August 8, 2023 , was triggered by a brushfire sparked by downed power lines , driven by strong, erratic winds sweeping across the island. This confirmation comes from a comprehensive investigation led by the U.
S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Maui Fire Department , which presented their findings on the fire’s origins. The wildfire, which ravaged the region and caused widespread destruction, has raised significant concerns about liability and responsibility for the disaster.
Despite a tentative $4 billion settlement , the findings could play a critical role in determining legal accountability. According to the investigators’ report, the deadly wildfire that decimated parts of Maui was actually a rekindling of an earlier fire that had ignited earlier in the morning. The initial fire was thought to have been extinguished, but strong winds most likely blew an undetected ember into a dry, overgrown gully, igniting a blaze that would go on to claim lives, homes, and acres of land.
The ATF’s report also acknowledges that while wind is the most likely factor behind the fire’s rekindling, another possible cause could not be entirely ruled out. A bulldozer operator , who had been trying to hel.