Wildfire Cases With Maui Fire Lawyers
In the aftermath of the massive Maui fires, there’s been a lot of debate over how to rebuild the historic town of Lahaina. Some residents fear a rebuilt town could be even more geared toward wealthy tourists. Others are worried about how the fires might impact the community’s environmental health and quality of life.
There’s also been a lot of criticism over how the fires were handled. Some residents pointed out that officials underestimated the danger of the fires and weren’t prepared to respond quickly enough. Other critics have pointed out that the county’s emergency alert system failed to notify residents because it relied on cell phone text messages and didn’t work in some areas.
Some people who lost their homes have found temporary housing through various programs. One of those programs is the Pukalani Church of Nazarene, which has sheltered 38 individuals so far. The church has partnered with donation centers to acquire supplies and is working to establish a partnership network for medium-term housing. However, many of the organization’s staff members have been displaced by the wildfires and aren’t able to serve their clients.
What is the Role of Mediation in Wildfire Cases With Maui Fire Lawyers?
Another group helping displaced residents is the National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawaii. The organization is operating NAMI Connection Recovery (CR) support groups online and on Zoom for people needing mental-health and trauma assistance because of the wildfires. It plans to start in-person CR support groups at the Cameron Center beginning September 2.
The Maui Strong Fund, established by the Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF), is providing direct grant funding to nonprofit organizations working in the relief and response phase of the disaster. The funding is intended to meet urgent needs and support the long-term recovery of communities across Maui.
While the Maui Strong Fund has been a boon for local nonprofits, there’s still a lot of work to be done. The wildfires have left a significant amount of land burned, and many of those areas are still under threat. There are also concerns about the impact that the fires have had on wildlife and on public infrastructure.
Several local attorneys have formed partnerships to handle the massive number of wildfire cases. Two of those partners are Morgan & Morgan and Takatani Agaran Jorgensen and Wildman, both of which have offices in Wailuku. Morgan & Morgan has a national presence and a team of Maui fire lawyers who specialize in mass tort litigation. The firm is partnering with two local firms—Takiatani Agaran and Wildman, which has offices in Kahului, Wailuku, and Waikapu, and a new partner, state Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran, who represents the Kahului, Wailuku, Waikapu, and Waihee districts.
Keith-Agaran says that he does not expect a conflict between his law firm’s work on the wildfire cases and his legislative duties. He is not currently involved in any legislation related to the fires but expects that to change as the litigation continues. He noted that he’s been associated with the law firm for years and is confident that he can help victims while holding the state accountable.
