Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report Released by the Attorney General of Hawaiߵi
Hawaiߵi state officials released the Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report* today. The second in a series of three reports commissioned by the Hawaiߵi Department of the Attorney General, the report provides an independent review of the tragic fire that destroyed much of Lahaina, HI on August 8–9, 2023. Prepared by the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes, this Phase Two report is the follow up to the Lahaina Fire Comprehensive Timeline Report released on April 17, 2024.
The Phase Two report focuses on the events that occurred prior to, during, and immediately following the Lahaina PM fire, including preparedness efforts, weather and its impact to infrastructure, and other fires occurring on Maui for the time period beginning at 14:55 (2:55 p.m. HST) on August 8, 2023, and concluding at 08:30 (8:30 a.m.) on August 9, 2023. FSRI used a systems analysis methodology to evaluate the complex intersections between environmental conditions, human activity, established policies and procedures, and accepted norms and perceptions. Through this process, FSRI identified 84 findings that resulted in 140 recommendations for addressing these issues including what can be done now. The report emphasizes the crucial role of multiple entities—such as agencies, state and county government, and more—to urgently implement these recommendations. These factors are taken into consideration in the context of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.
The report incorporates science- and evidence-based analyses with information from FSRI’s fire dynamics research, local subject matter experts, industry standards and best practices, and the collective experiences of FSRI’s research team. While the report highlights key findings and recommendations, it does not include an analysis of recovery efforts or the fire’s origin and cause, which is being investigated by the County of Maui with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
“Our objective is to conduct a comprehensive, independent analysis assessing the policies and performance of state and county agencies in preparing for and responding to the Maui wildfires. Since the release of the comprehensive timeline in April 2024, our team has been systematically analyzing relevant background information, communications, incident management, evacuation efforts, and the impact of the fire on Lahaina’s built environment.”
—Steve Kerber, executive director and vice president, FSRI
The Lahaina Fire Comprehensive Timeline Report (Phase One) and the Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report (Phase Two) will serve as the foundation for the Forward-Looking Report (Phase Three) to help answer critical questions like, “How do we prevent this from happening again?” The final report in the series will have several discrete and interrelated components, including a standards of cover (SOC) analysis to assess the capabilities of the County of Maui Fire Department, a Community Risk Assessment (CRA) to analyze natural- and human-caused risks to Maui, a community risk reduction plan to help mitigate risk, and a review of fire and building codes.
Access the Minute-by-Minute Timeline
Abstract
This document is the second in a series of three (3) reports commissioned by the Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General (DOAG) to provide an independent review of the tragic fire that destroyed much of Lahaina, Hawaiʻi, on August 8-9, 2023.
Using a systems analysis methodology, the Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report presents relevant background information; discusses weather, fuel, and infrastructure conditions; describes communication, incident management, fire suppression, and evacuation efforts; and details the impact of the fire on Lahaina’s built environment. It also considers these factors in the context of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy).
This Phase Two report incorporates science- and evidence-based analyses with information from FSRI’s fire dynamics research, local subject matter experts, industry standards and best practices, and the collective experiences of FSRI’s research team. This report does not include an analysis of recovery efforts or the fire’s cause and origin, which is being investigated by the County of Maui with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
This report focuses on the events that occurred prior to, during, and immediately following the Lahaina PM fire, such as preparedness efforts, weather and its impact to infrastructure, and other fires occurring on Maui for the time period beginning at 14:55 (2:55 p.m. HST) on August 8, 2023, and concluding at 08:30 (8:30 a.m.) on August 9, 2023. Data from the three (3) other Maui fires is also included in specific sections to give context to the situation in Lahaina.
Research Project: Maui Wildfires Analysis
Report Title: Lahaina Fire Incident Analysis Report
Report Authors: Steve Kerber and Derek Alkonis
Download the Report: https://doi.org/10.60752/102376.26858962
Release Date: September 13, 2024
*Phase Two revision, October 2, 2024. Revision made to Section 3.4 Infrastructure, page 69.
- Revised sentence clarifies conditions on August 8, 2023 on Maui stating: It also appears that downed wires may have caused additional safety hazards in Lahaina and other areas of Maui.
- Revised sentence clarifies the source of the PM fire stating: It appears a small vegetation fire, sparked by a downed line, may have become the urban conflagration where residents were challenged to evacuate densely populated areas with narrow streets and locked gates, and the rapid loss of hydrant pressure and flow would limit the water available for firefighting.
