WAILUKU >> Members of a bipartisan congressional delegation that included U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy toured fire-ravaged Lahaina today, vowing to investigate the factors that resulted in the nation’s deadliest wildfire in more than a century.

The Aug. 8 disaster killed at least 115 and destroyed more than 2,200 structures, most of them homes.

McCarthy, who has visited Maui many times with his family, said he’s seen a number of major wildfires with some similarities but described the Lahaina blaze as “sheer devastation.”

After touring fire-ravaged Lahaina with a bipartisan congressional delegation Saturday, U.S. House @SpeakerMcCarthy pushed back on claims that climate change contributed to the Aug. 8 disaster.

Details: https://t.co/ZWgqK6oxJ4

📹: Kevin McCarthy #HInews #MauiFires pic.twitter.com/I7x7WtzzKT

Don't miss out on what's happening!

Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!

Email Sign Up

By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser's and Google's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA.

— Star-Advertiser (@StarAdvertiser) September 3, 2023

Speaking at an afternoon news conference in Wailuku, he said it’s important to examine the mitigating factors that allowed the wildfire to rage out of control, including unmanaged grasslands that fueled the flames, West Maui’s electrical infrastructure, building codes and methods that allowed some structures to survive and others to burn, and whether Maui has adequate firefighting resources, especially when called on to respond to multiple incidents, as was the case Aug. 8 when fires also broke out in the Upcountry and Kihei areas.

The visit by the California Republican and Democrats Rep. Jill Tokuda of Hawaii and Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida and Republican Reps. David Joyce of Ohio and Russ Fulcher of Idaho followed an announcement last week that the House Oversight and Accountability Committee is launching an investigation of the federal, state and county response to the Lahaina wildfire that caused an estimated $5.6 billion in damage.

Separately, three Republican members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Wednesday sent a letter to Hawaiian Electric, the state Public Utilities Commission and the Hawaii State Energy Office asking questions about their actions to mitigate known fire risks in West Maui prior to Aug. 8.

McCarthy also said he is confident the Federal Emergency Management Agency will have ample funds to continue its robust response to the Lahaina wildfire, flooding in Vermont, last week’s hurricane in Florida and other natural disasters, noting that the federal fiscal year is coming to a close Sept. 30 and that Congress will be “replenishing” funding for the agency to meet its needs.

U.S. Rep. Ed Case was scheduled to join the delegation today but bowed out after contracting COVID-19, according to his office. He is isolating at home and will continue working on congressional business as he can, his office said in a news release.