About 74% of the state was abnormally dry or in a moderate drought at the end of October, making it easier for wildfires to spread.
wildfires
Posted inNation & World, News
Hawaii Supreme Court agrees to weigh issues holding up $4 billion wildfire settlement
Insurance companies that have paid out more than $2 billion in claims want to bring independent legal action against the defendants blamed for causing the deadly tragedy.
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Posted inNation & World, News
Report finds ‘no evidence’ Hawaii officials prepared for wildfire that killed 102
That lack of planning hindered efforts to evacuate the historic town of Lahaina before it burned in a conflagration that claimed 102 lives, the report said.
Posted inNation & World, News
Southern California fire explodes in size, forcing mountain town to evacuate
The flames raced up steep terrain, chewing through thick vegetation as they approached a mountain community of about 5,000 people.
Posted inHealth, Nation & World, News
Maui’s toxic debris could fill 5 football fields 5 stories deep. Where will it end up?
The debris and ash that remained after a deadly wildfire last year decimated Lahaina now sits in a temporary dump site. But some are worried the site may not truly be temporary.
Posted inBusiness, Nation & World, News
Maui wildfire survivors say insurers are failing to clean up toxic damage to their homes
Dangerous fire residue contaminated nearly everything in homes that didn’t burn.
Posted inNation & World, News
Wildfires in Brazil leave at least 2 dead. Dozens of cities on high alert
The fires have raged in the region outside the city of Sao Paulo, one of Latin America’s most populous cities with more than 11 million residents.
Posted inNation & World, News
A year after Maui’s fires, tourism nears $1 billion deficit
Officially, all of Maui, except for the burn zone in Lahaina, has been open for business since November 2023. But arrivals in the first half of 2024 were down roughly 25% year over the year according to the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Posted inNation & World, News
Record-breaking wildfires scorch more than 1.4 million acres in Oregon, authorities say
On Friday, a fire near the Portland suburb of Oregon City led authorities to close part of a state highway and issue Level 3 ‘go now’ evacuation orders along part of the route.
Posted inNation & World, News
Maui wildfire plaintiffs reach $4 billion settlement
Hawaiian Electric will pay $1.99 billion, including $75 million previously contributed to a recovery initiative called One Ohana, it said in a statement.