Maui wildfire survivor fears $4bn settlement will hide accountability

Those impacted by the rampant wildfires that devastated Maui, Hawaii last year can expect to receive some compensation soon thanks to a $4bn settlement – but some fear it could absolve those who should be held responsible.

On Friday, plaintiffs and defendants in the lawsuit came to a proposed agreement in which Hawaiin Electric, the largest electricity supplier in the state, would pay $1.99bn of the settlement. But the terms of the settlement do not include an admission of liability.

News of the settlement is a relief for the more than 10,000 people impacted by the wildfires that ravaged Maui last August. Thousands of homes and businesses were burned across the more than 6,000 acres of land the fires impacted. More than 100 people were killed.

But for some, like Lahaina resident Sanford Hill, there are fears that the settlement will provide much-needed relief without holding those responsible accountable.

“They want to settle this before the [attorney general’s] report comes out, the next one they want to settle before the [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm’s] report comes out. Before the truth comes out,” Hill told Hawaii News Now.

Two separate investigations, one led by the Hawaii attorney general’s office and another by the ATF, are currently probing the cause of the fires.

Although the exact cause is still under investigation, many accused Hawaiian Electric of contributing to the fires by not turning off their power despite warnings of fire risks due to dry conditions and strong winds.

Last year, videos of downed power lines alighting dried vegetation circulated social media, escalating accusations.

Other factors contributed to the mass tragedy. Many residents reported not receiving an emergency alert telling