Defendants blamed for the blaze including the state, power utility Hawaiian Electric and large landowners have already agreed to the settlement amount.
When Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced a $4 billion settlement about a year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century devastated Lahaina in 2023, he touted the speed of the deal to “avoid protracted and painful lawsuits.”
Five months later, however, an unusual trial starting Wednesday will delve into difficult questions about survivors’ losses as a judge decides how to divide the settlement. Some victims will take the witness stand, while others have submitted pre-recorded testimony, describing pain made all the more fresh by the recent destruction in Los Angeles.
The trial won’t determine fault. Defendants blamed for the blaze including the state, power utility Hawaiian Electric and large landowners have already agreed to the settlement amount.
