Hawaii governor releases details of $175M fund for Maui fire victims
Newsy
The fund for Maui wildfire victims will also pay those who were hospitalized with severe injuries.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Tuesday that a $175 million fund to compensate families of people killed in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century will begin accepting applications at the end of the week.
The fund for Maui wildfire victims will also pay those who were hospitalized with severe injuries.
Families of those killed would receive $1.5 million after their eligibility is confirmed by a retired Hawaii judge. Those seriously injured would receive a share determined by the judge. Maui County has confirmed the deaths of 101 people from the Aug. 8 wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina. Two people are still missing.
Green framed the fund as an option for survivors considering suing the state of Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric or other utilities and landowners for their role in the blaze.
People who accept the fund's money will waive their right to sue the entities who contributed to the fund. Hawaiian Electric is the single largest underwriter at $75 million, followed by the state of Hawaii at $65 million, landowner Kamehameha Schools at $17.5 million and Maui County at $10 million.
