Source: AFP
A $4 billion settlement has been reached to end thousands of lawsuits filed in the wake of devastating wildfires on Maui nearly a year ago, Hawaii’s governor announced Friday.
The defendants, including the state of Hawaii, Maui County and Hawaiian Electric Company, will pay the money to compensate victims — including about 2,200 who filed suit — for losses from deadly wildfires on the island of Maui.
“This more than $4 billion Global Settlement will help our people heal,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green said in a statement.
“The settlement of such a matter within a year is unprecedented and it will be good that our people do not have to wait to rebuild their lives as others in many places have suffered similar tragedies.”
The agreement was reached after four months of mediation, but must be approved by a judge to become final.
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It also depends on the settlement of claims from insurance companies that have paid for property loss or other damages.
The wildfire that raged on August 8 of last year was the deadliest wildfire the United States had seen in more than a century.
It burned about 2,000 acres (800 hectares) and destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, a former Hawaiian royal seat and a thriving tourist hub.
Fueled by strong winds, the flames moved so fast that many residents were left in the dark, only knowing there was a fire when they saw it for themselves.
Some abandoned their cars as they tried to flee the city and sought refuge in the ocean, where they hid for hours as their homes burned.
Thousands of people were left homeless, while recovery is expected to take years.
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“In total, the total scope of the recovery, which includes past insurance claims, county, federal and state support, will approach $12 billion,” Green said.
Maui County last year filed a lawsuit against the Hawaii Electric Company over the fire, arguing that the disaster could have been prevented if the power lines had been shut down.
There has been a critical focus on the electricity provider in the wake of the fire, with videos apparently showing downed cables lighting up vegetation in the hours before the tragedy.
The lawsuit says there were multiple warnings of strong winds from a nearby hurricane, but Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries negligently kept the power lines live.
Power companies in wildfire-prone California regularly shut down power lines during strong storms or winds to prevent downed power lines from starting fires.
Hawaii Electric Company is to pay the largest share of the proposed settlement, about $2 billion, according to a New York Times report.
Source: AFP
