Maui Mayor weighs in on attorney general’s initial report
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen shared a statement on the Hawaii Attorney General and the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) Maui wildfire phase one report finding and timeline today, in a press release.
“We understand the state Attorney General’s investigation and the hard work that Fire Safety Research Institute put into describing the nation’s worst wildfire disaster in modern history,” Bissen said of the report. “Today’s Phase One report can help piece together what other fire-stricken jurisdictions have called the most complex megafire they have ever seen.”
Bissen went on to add that while the investigations and studies can be helpful, the pain, trauma and suffering that residents have endured continue to be our primary focus. Bissen said he remains committed to bringing Lahaina residents back home so they can take additional steps toward healing.
“In the brutal aftermath of this tragedy, County personnel have maintained the operations of County infrastructure and systems even while they also grieve, re-orient their lives, and recover physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually,” the department said in a prepared statement. “The county’s complicated recovery includes various investigations and legal obligations.”
In its cooperation with the state Attorney General’s investigation, the county delivered 8,000 video and media files, nearly 50,000 pages of responsive documents, 118 gigabytes of data, 150 technical interviews, and fulfilled more than 175 different categories of requests, according to the county.
“The most important part is how we prevent, how we mitigate, how we can prepare for future disasters,” Mayor Bissen said.