West Maui Fire Investigation: So Far Shows No Criminal Intent

Kauaʻula Valley fire 8.24.18. Photo credit: Ralph Janssen Ines Ingan

Maui police say that an investigation into the cause of the large wildfires in West Maui, so far has shown no criminal intent to the start of either the Kauaʻula Valley or Kāʻanapali fire.

“It is believed that high winds affected the power lines however the exact origin of the fires is undetermined,” Maui police said in a press release statement issued late Tuesday morning.

The Kauaʻula Valley and Kāʻanapali fires burned a total of 2,300 acres, forced the evacuation of more than 100 residents, damaged or destroyed 21 residential structures and forced the temporary closure of the main road into and out of West Maui for several hours.  Both fires started on Friday morning and were preceded by a separate fire at Māʻalaea in the West Maui Mountains.

Maui Fire officials called the conditions “some of the most adverse the Maui Fire Department has faced in recent history” as crews battled the fire in storm force winds while Maui County was under a Hurricane Warning.