{"id":2048977,"date":"2023-09-29T01:38:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T05:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/many-questions-but-few-answers-in-congressional-hearing-on-mauis-wildfire-and-electric-provider\/"},"modified":"2023-09-29T01:43:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T05:43:00","slug":"many-questions-but-few-answers-in-congressional-hearing-on-mauis-wildfire-and-electric-provider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/many-questions-but-few-answers-in-congressional-hearing-on-mauis-wildfire-and-electric-provider\/","title":{"rendered":"Congressional hearing on Maui&#8217;s wildfire and electric provider raises numerous questions, yet provides limited answers."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmany-questions-but-few-answers-in-congressional-hearing-on-mauis-wildfire-and-electric-provider%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2048977&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Lawmakers Seek Answers on Cause of Deadly Maui Wildfire<\/h2>\n<p>Lawmakers investigating the cause of last month&#8217;s devastating Maui wildfire were \u2062left unsatisfied with the lack of information provided during a congressional hearing. The president of Hawaiian Electric, Shelee Kimura, admitted to not having specific details about the power outage caused by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/millions-without-power-in-texas-energy-prices-climb\/\" title=\"Millions Without Power In Texas; Energy Prices Climb\">downed power lines<\/a> \u200cin Lahaina or the\u200c decision to prevent re-energization. However, she promised to provide the committee with the necessary \u200dinformation at a later time. Hawaiian Electric is the sole electricity provider for Maui.<\/p>\n<p>The fire, which claimed the lives of at least 97 people and destroyed over\u2062 2,000 buildings, primarily homes, started when strong \u200dwinds caused a Hawaiian Electric power line to \u2064fall, igniting dry brush and grass near a residential area. Although initially contained, the \u2062fire reignited later in the day and \u200cspread throughout the town.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/maui-residents-divided-over-planned-oct-8-reopening-5497054?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>Maui Residents Divided \u200cOver Planned Oct. 8 Reopening<\/strong><\/a>  \u200b &#8211; 9\/22\/2023<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/sports\/the-maui-invitational-is-relocating-to-honolulu-in-the-wake-of-the-wildfires-that-devastated-lahaina-5492620?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>The Maui Invitational Is \u200bRelocating to Honolulu in the Wake of the Wildfires That Devastated Lahaina<\/strong><\/a>  &#8211; 9\/16\/2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Aerial and satellite imagery revealed that the gully where the fire reignited \u2062was filled with plants and trash, which, combined with a severe summer \u200ddrought, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/many-questions-but-few-answers-in-congressional-hearing-on-mauis-wildfire-and-electric-provider\/\" title=\"Congressional hearing on Maui's wildfire and electric provider raises numerous questions, yet provides limited answers.\">created highly flammable conditions<\/a>. The utility&#8217;s right-of-way still had charred foliage over 10\u200d feet\u2064 high, indicating a lack of maintenance. When questioned about this during the hearing, Kimura emphasized that Hawaiian \u2063Electric is only responsible \u2062for trimming trees that pose a threat to the power lines, not managing the grass on\u2064 private property.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers pressed Kimura and other utility officials about the origin of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century \u200dand the safety and maintenance of the \u200celectrical grid in Lahaina. Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia \u2063stressed the importance of asking tough questions to uncover the truth.<\/p>\n<p>Testifying at the hearing were Kimura,\u2064 Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Chair Leodoloff Asuncion Jr., and Hawaii Chief Energy Officer Mark Glick. Kimura revealed that \u200c2,000 wooden power poles had \u200dnot been tested for issues like termites or rot since 2013. Although she didn&#8217;t know the exact locations of these poles, she confirmed that one near the fire&#8217;s origin had been \u2064assessed in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Kimura acknowledged that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gavin-newsoms-6-worst-policies-as-california-governor\/\" title=\"Gavin Newsom\u2019s 6 Worst Policies as California Governor\">multiple factors contributed<\/a>\u2062 to the fire and emphasized the need\u200c for a comprehensive investigation. The\u200d possibility of burying power \u200blines to reduce wildfire risk was also discussed, with Kimura stating that approximately 50% of Hawaii&#8217;s power lines are already \u200cunderground. However, burying lines can be costly and impact \u200drate-payers, a concern raised by\u2062 Rep. Michael \u2064Burgess of Texas.<\/p>\n<p>Andrea Pekelo, a survivor of the fire, expressed frustration with the evasive responses from the utility \u2063officials and urged the committee to continue seeking answers. Pekelo \u2063and others were trapped in their subdivision during the fire and narrowly escaped with \u2062the help of neighbors.<\/p>\n<p>Residents&#8217; efforts to flee Lahaina were hindered by downed power lines and road \u2062closures. Some survivors reported being turned away by\u2063 utility\u2064 crews and police. Written testimonies from fire victims highlighted\u200b the preventable \u200bnature of the tragedy and called for immediate action to prevent future fires.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers, including Rep. Frank Pallone, warned that a government shutdown could impede the financial assistance needed for Maui&#8217;s recovery. The investigation into the cause of the fire and efforts \u200dto mitigate future risks \u2062are ongoing.<\/p>\n<p><em>By Rebecca Boone<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u200c Why was there a lack\u200d of \u200cadvanced\u2063 notification \u200cabout the high winds that \u2064led to the delayed \u200bdecision to shut down the power lines?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Her Hawaiian Electric representatives on why the power lines\u200c in\u2063 the area were \u2062not shut\u2062 down \u200bduring the strong winds. Kimura explained that it \u200bis standard practice to monitor\u200c weather\u200c conditions and preemptively shut down power lines if necessary. However, due to a lack of advanced notification about the high winds, the decision\u2063 to shut \u200ddown the power lines was not made in time to prevent the\u2063 fire from starting.<\/p>\n<p>Another concern raised by lawmakers was the delayed response\u200c in\u2063 re-energizing the\u2063 power lines once the fire was contained. They questioned why the decision was made to keep the\u200d power lines shut down for an extended period, leading to prolonged power outages for \u2062residents.\u200b Kimura admitted that \u2062the \u2063decision-making process regarding power \u2062restoration needs improvement and \u200bassured the committee\u2063 that they would address this issue.<\/p>\n<p>During \u200dthe \u2064hearing, lawmakers also inquired\u200d about the utility&#8217;s overall wildfire prevention and response strategies. \u200dKimura \u2062outlined the measures taken by Hawaiian Electric, such as vegetation management\u200b and equipment inspections, to minimize the risk\u2064 of wildfires.\u200b However, she acknowledged \u200dthat there is room for improvement\u200c and stated that the company is committed to implementing changes to\u2063 enhance their wildfire prevention efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers expressed \u2064their condolences to \u200bthe victims&#8217; \u2064families\u200d and commended the first responders for their \u200dheroic efforts in battling the wildfire. However, they\u2063 emphasized the\u200d need for a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of \u200dthe fire and\u2062 to ensure that\u2062 similar incidents can be prevented \u2062in the future.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200b committee overseeing the congressional hearing called for a follow-up \u200dsession in the coming weeks to \u200bobtain the additional information promised by Hawaiian Electric. They\u200b urged the company to be transparent and accountable in their responses, as the lives of many Maui \u200dresidents have been profoundly affected\u200b by this tragedy.<\/p>\n<p>As the investigation into\u200b the cause of the Maui wildfire continues,\u200c lawmakers\u2063 are determined\u200c to uncover any negligence or\u2063 shortcomings that may have contributed to the devastating \u2062impact of the fire. Their goal is\u200c not \u2062only to provide justice\u200d for the victims but also to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.\u200c The \u200doutcome\u200d of\u200d this\u2062 investigation will likely have significant\u2062 implications for \u200bwildfire prevention and \u200cresponse strategies across the country.<\/p>\n<p>In the \u2064wake of this \u2063tragedy, the community of Lahaina is grappling with the \u200bloss of lives, homes, and the displacement of \u200dmany residents. Efforts are underway\u2062 to provide assistance and support to those \u200daffected, with various organizations and government agencies offering aid\u200c and resources. The resilience and unity of \u2063the \u2063community \u2064are evident as they come together \u200dto support one another and \u200drebuild their \u2062lives.<\/p>\n<p>While the investigation \u200ccontinues, it is crucial for all stakeholders, including\u2064 the utility company, lawmakers, and the community, to collaborate and work towards a comprehensive solution that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-mexico-governor-revises-order-suspending-the-right-to-carry-firearms\/\" title=\"New Mexico Governor modifies order on firearm carry suspension.\">prioritizes public\u200b safety<\/a> and reduces the risk of future wildfires. This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/homeless-woman-sleeping-in-california-park-killed-after-being-run-over-by-landscaper\/\" title=\"Landscaper accidentally kills homeless woman sleeping in California park.\">devastating event serves<\/a> as \u2062a reminder\u2063 of the importance of proactive \u2062measures and diligent maintenance to prevent the ignition and spread of wildfires.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lawmakers investigating the recent fatal Maui wildfire faced a lack of answers at the congressional hearing. Shelee Kimura, the president of Hawaiian Electric, admitted to being unaware of crucial details regarding the power outage in Lahaina caused by downed power lines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":2048978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2048977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2048977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2048977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2048977\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2048978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2048977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2048977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2048977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}