Hawaii’s new fire marshal takes over as state concludes Maui wildfire probe

The state has concluded its investigation into the government’s response to the deadly Aug. 8, 2023, Lahaina wildfire, state Attorney General Anne Lopez announced today.

Responsibility for future wildfire planning and coordination will now transition to the newly established state fire marshal’s office and the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization.

The investigation was conducted by the Fire Safety Research Institute, part of UL Research Institutes, and included a three-phase analysis of how state and county agencies responded before, during, and after the fire.

FSRI released detailed reports between April 2024 and January 2025, identifying 84 findings and 140 recommendations to improve the state’s wildfire readiness. The final phase prioritized 10 key actions, including hiring a state fire marshal and engaging HWMO in a leadership role—both of which have now been implemented.

The Legislature passed House Bill 1064 this year to expand the fire marshal’s authority. HWMO has already begun work. Lopez said she is now handing off responsibilities to State Fire Marshal Dori Booth and HWMO.

Booth said the Phase 3 priorities “provide a critical foundation” and that her office will focus on strengthening fire codes, coordinating agencies, and guiding future improvements. FSRI will continue assisting with wildfire risk assessments on Maui and Kauai, and help develop a statewide Community Risk Reduction plan.

All reports and materials from the investigation— including 850 gigabytes of data — are available on the Department of the Attorney General’s Maui Wildfire Investigation web page.