What Happened In Maui Stays In Maui

What happens to early alarmist claims that “climate change” caused the Maui conflagration killing more than 100 after Maui itself sued Hawaiian Electric claiming negligence? Does taking cover later under usual “helped cause” cop out wash?

It's an old knee jerk reaction in the climate debate as it is in, e.g., the gun control debate; every time there’s a tragedy, pols, activists &/or deniers quickly turn a human tragedy into a scientific circus. Here, the WSJ tells us, “the lawsuit claims that the utility, known as HECO, acted negligently by not pre-emptively cutting power despite a warning the prior day from the National Weather Service of high winds & temperatures, along with low humidity – prime conditions for a wildfire. It also says HECO’s failure to maintain its system led to energized, downed power lines CAUSING the fires.” Needless to say, “the fires in Lahaina & another community, Kula, burned over 3,000 acres, destroyed more than 2,200 structures & caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damage in the nation’s deadliest wildfire in more than a century. Some 1.000 people are still unaccounted for.”

Predictably, as the escalating damage in human life & property are still being tallied, especially by victims & other stakeholders like insurance companies, various climate activists & their allies have been forced to moderate their earlier finger pointing. Not that a global warming trend didn’t contribute to the fires … or that well-intentioned yet-foolish progressive land management policies didn’t also “contribute” as their critics have long warned, the main allegation being “Hawaiian Electric knew of the risks from past fires but waited years to act” so it could focus on its prioritized “green transition” agenda. Can we finally agree it’s working together to find solutions that’s needed, not finger pointing for political advantage?

Davd Soul