To investigate the deadliest wildfire in the United States in modern history, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has sent a team to Maui to determine what started the blaze.
Since Aug. 8, the blaze that broke out in Maui has resulted in the death of at least 113 people.
The five-member ATF National Response Team was expected to arrive in Maui on Thursday and deploy on Friday morning. While some have raised concerns about the role that powerlines played in the fires, there has been no definitive answer as to what sparked the blaze and what kept it going.
Some victims have sued Hawaiian Electric, according to a report from The New York Times. The victims have alleged that the state’s largest utility company did not provide strong enough equipment to withstand heavy winds.
They have also accused Hawaiian Electric of failing to turn off the power when high wind warnings were issued on the island because of Hurricane Hilary, the Times also reported. The company said it couldn’t turn off the power because it would have affected hospitals and emergency workers.
Jonathan T. McPherson, the special agent in charge of the ATF’s Seattle Field Division, released a statement on the upcoming investigation, calling the fires a tragedy.
“We were all devastated to learn of the loss of life and property on Maui from the Hawaii wildfires,” McPherson said. “We will do everything in our power to support our local counterparts in determining the origin and cause of the wildfires there, and hopefully bring some healing to the community.”
Among those on the five-person ATF team are fire investigators, an electrical engineer, and other personnel from Washington, D.C., Maryland, Seattle, and Honolulu.
The ATF National Response Team has been involved in several other high-profile instances, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 2001 attack on the Pentagon, the 2020 Christmas Day bombing in Tennessee, and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
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