General
5 Ways Hawaii Is Trying to Prevent the Next Deadly Fire
When a fire devastated the island of Maui a year ago, officials said they would make fire safety and preparedness improvements. But progress is slow and costly.
A year ago, the deadliest American wildfire in more than a century took 102 lives on the Hawaii island of Maui, leaving the historic town of Lahaina in ashes and spurring a series of investigations into what could have done to better prepare for such a disaster.
Since then, laws have been passed, emergency agencies have implemented new policies, and residents and officials have grappled with how to rebuild the town.
But some of the more important steps that might help get ready for — or prevent — the next catastrophe have not happened, in part because there are lingering questions about how to pay for them.
The result is that, a year after the disaster, the island remains worryingly vulnerable to the wildfires that climate scientists say are an increasing threat, even in places like Hawaii.
1. New firefighting investments
Firefighters were overwhelmed by the fast-moving inferno that swept through Lahaina, plagued by delays in equipping crews and getting them into the field. As the blaze rushed toward the town, they encountered fire hydrants that had begun to run dry.
