Wildfire prevention and helping Maui recover from flames top the agenda for Hawaii lawmakers

By AUDREY McAVOY
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers are due to convene this week for the first time since the burning of historic Lahaina awakened the state to the deadly and costly threat posed by wildfires in an age of climate change. Now, fighting and preventing wildfires and helping the island of Maui recover from the flames top the agenda. The Aug. 8 blaze killed 100 people and displaced 12,000 people. The state House majority leader says Democrats will be looking at wildfire prevention needs statewide. A House working group is recommending a public awareness campaign to prevent fires from starting. The group says the state should maintain firefighting aircraft and other equipment specifically to fight wildfires.