Photo of Lāhainā after the fire, courtesy Hawaiʻi DLNR

(BIVN) – Following the deadly wildfire on Maui that destroyed the town of Lāhainā and claimed – at last official count – 80 lives, the state’s top attorney says there will be a review of the decision-making before, during, and after the incident.

Hawaiʻi Attorney General Anne Lopez announced on Friday that the Department of the Attorney General will be conducting “a comprehensive review of critical decision-making and standing policies leading up to, during, and after the wildfires on Maui and Hawaiʻi islands this week.”

The Hawaiʻi island fires, which primarily burned in North and South Kohala on the same day the Maui inferno raged, triggered several evacuations and road closures, but did not result in loss of life.

“The Department of the Attorney General shares the grief felt by all in Hawaiʻi, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy,” says Attorney General Lopez. “My Department is committed to understanding the decisions that were made before and during the wildfires and to sharing with the public the results of this review. As we continue to support all aspects of the ongoing relief effort, now is the time to begin this process of understanding.”