Maui fire erupts from blaze believed to have been extinguished: Probe

The wildfire that killed at least 102 people on Maui last year erupted from an earlier brushfire caused by downed power lines that firefighters believed they had extinguished, officials confirmed on Wednesday as they presented their findings on the cause of the tragedy.

The August 8, 2023, blaze -- the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century -- was long known to have emerged in the afternoon, in the same area as the blaze that began early that morning.

Driven by strong, erratic winds, the fire raced through the historic town of Lahaina, destroying thousands of buildings, overcoming people trapped in their cars and forcing some residents to flee into the ocean.

It has been unclear whether the blaze was a rekindling of the morning fire after firefighters spent hours dousing it or a separate one. The answer could prove significant to questions about liability for the destruction, though a tentative USD 4 billion settlement has been reached.

In presenting their findings, officials