A $4 billion settlement for 2023 Maui wildfire could come soon, Hawaii Gov. Green tells AP

Source: PBS News Hour/AP

Jul 31, 2024 6:43 PM EDT


HONOLULU (AP) — The parties involved in Lahaina wildfire lawsuits against the state of Hawaii, Maui County and utilities are close to a global settlement of claims that will be worth a little over $4 billion, Gov. Josh Green told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Green said he’s hoping to finalize the details in coming days, perhaps as soon as Aug. 6, which would be two days before the one-year anniversary of the fire that killed 102 people and wiped out historic Lahaina.

“If that could happen, it would be great. I humbly invite all the parties to finalize the agreement,” Green said in an interview at his office. “It appears that we are almost there, and we only have a very tiny holdout remaining.”

He said all the plaintiffs and defendants have agreed to the global settlement number but final details are pending. More than 600 lawsuits have been filed over the deaths and destruction caused by the fires. In the spring, a judge appointed mediators and ordered all parties to participate in settlement talks.

Read more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/a-4-billion-settlement-for-2023-maui-wildfire-could-come-soon-hawaii-gov-green-tells-ap