Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) has blamed “climate change” for the increased “human error” that led to the destruction of Lahaina in Maui.
Green discussed the devastating wildfires with Margaret Brennan during his “Face the Nation” interview on CBS Sunday and noted, “We’ve had six fire emergencies this August. We had six fire emergencies between 1953 and 2003.”
He then stated, “I know that there is debate out there about whether we should be talking about climate change or not. Well, let’s be real. Climate change is here.”
“We are in the midst of it with a hotter planet and fiercer storms,” he added.
This is despite the fact Hawaii officials have been warning lawmakers about the brush problem on the island and its potential to increase wildfire risks for years, per NBC News.
In addition, Hawaiian Electric Co. is now facing a lawsuit claiming that the company’s negligence led to increased death and destruction as they did not cut off power during the fires despite power lines being knocked down and potentially sparking more flames, via NBC News.
Brennan noted during the discussion with Green that Hawaiian Electric had previously inquired about upgrades but did not receive approval as it would increase energy rates.
Green stated, “I don’t know personally whether or not the powerlines were the primary reason the fire occurred.”
Despite not wishing to make an assessment about the brush or the electric company, Green continued to assert his belief the fire spread due to climate change.
He said, “This is the world that we live in now,” and then went on, “It’s not to excuse anything else from any company, it’s just to explain what the world should prepare for.”
Brennan then asked, “Are you saying that climate change amplified the cost of human error?”
“Yes, it did,” Green replied.
He then detailed how firefighters reported they put out fires and the winds kicked them back up. However, he did not acknowledge that due to communications issues, firefighters did not receive approval to utilize water from surrounding bodies of water to combat the fire for five hours as the flames spread, according to the IJR.
“There are finite resources sometimes in the moment,” Green concluded.