On August 8, 2023, a fire started by broken power lines in Lahaina, Maui, was reported contained in the morning but rekindled in the afternoon and spread through the town. The Maui Fire Department and ATF concluded it was a single accidental fire, and county officials put the death toll at 102. State commissioned reviews made 140 recommendations, and defendants including Hawaiian Electric and the State of Hawaii agreed to a $4.037 billion global settlement.
Payments from the $4.037 billion settlement had not been distributed as of early October 2026. The Hawaii Supreme Court upheld the trial judge's limits on attorney fees on September 30, 2026, and a plaintiffs' liaison lawyer said awards were expected within about a month, with payments in four yearly installments.
Maui Fire Chief Brad Ventura said the fire was ignited at 6:34 a.m. by re-energized, broken utility lines near utility pole 25 off Lahainaluna Road, presenting the department's origin and cause findings. The cause was classified as accidental.
Hawaiian Electric later said the Maui Fire Department reported the morning fire 100% contained, left the scene and later declared it extinguished. The fire chief said all available indications at that time showed it was fully contained and extinguished.
At approximately 2:52 p.m. a rekindle event took place in the gully next to the earlier burn area, the fire chief said, most likely from a firebrand or smoldering material moved by the wind.
A major disaster was declared for Hawaii, covering an incident period from August 8 to September 30, 2023. FEMA later reported more than $506 million in public assistance obligated.
The County of Maui filed a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric over the fires, according to the utility's statement responding to it.
Hawaiian Electric said the morning fire appeared to have been caused by power lines that fell in high winds, and that its West Maui lines had been de-energized for more than six hours when the afternoon fire began at about 3 p.m. It called the county's complaint factually and legally irresponsible.
The Maui Fire Department released an after action report prepared by the Western Fire Chiefs Association with 17 recommendations. AP reported that county fire teams were also fighting other wildfires and that wind driven power loss to pumps reduced water pressure.
The Hawaii Attorney General released the Lahaina Fire Comprehensive Timeline Report prepared by the Fire Safety Research Institute.
A court filing announced a $4.037 billion global settlement among seven defendants, naming Hawaiian Electric, Maui County, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaiian Telcom and West Maui Land Co. Governor Josh Green called it an agreement in principle.
The Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report was released, covering weather, fuels, communications, suppression and evacuation. It was revised on October 2, 2024.
The Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety received the ATF's Lahaina Fire Summary of Findings and Conclusions and said it would publish it as an appendix to its own origin and cause report.
The Maui Fire Department, assisted by the ATF, released its origin and cause report, concluding there was a single fire that rekindled in the afternoon and that the cause was accidental. Hawaii Public Radio reported the investigation found no evidence of negligence by the department.
The Attorney General released the Forward Looking Report with 84 findings and 140 recommendations. FSRI concluded no single factor caused the outcome and that conditions developed over decades.
The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled against insurers that had sought to sue the defendants separately or take a share of the settlement ahead of policyholders, clearing what Hawaii News Now called the last legal hurdle to the settlement.
The US Fire Administration summarized the phase three report, listing staffing a State Fire Marshal office and county community risk assessments among high priorities.
Judge Peter Cahill aimed to resolve outstanding issues by the end of March so settlement offers could go out in April. Payments are to be made in yearly installments over four years.
A mediated agreement resolving issues with insurance companies was approved, which the Hawaii Tribune-Herald described as the linchpin allowing distributions to proceed.
Judge Cahill capped plaintiffs' attorney fees well below the 25% the lawyers sought and set up a $222 million common benefit fund for lawyers who did significant work on the overall case, Civil Beat reported.
The Hawaii Supreme Court upheld most of Judge Cahill's fee order, including the $222 million fund, but struck provisions that barred appeals of fee board decisions, according to press reports.
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Last updated 31 October 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Every event links to the record it comes from. Allegations are attributed to whoever made them.