Hawaiian Electric, the parent company of Maui Electric, has developed a Public Safety Power Shutoff program in an effort to prevent wildfires. The map has identified vulnerable areas of Maui County including places with persistent drought conditions and low humidity, with potential high winds that may be subject to power shutoffs. Photo courtesy Hawaiian Electric

Kula resident Jordan Hocker said she supports Maui Electric’s decision to shut down power in certain areas of Maui County during high winds to prevent the potential of brush fires, and her family is adjusting to the new program.

“I had to invest in some lanterns that are solar-powered,” said Hocker, who’s also board president of the Kula Community Association. “We have a generator for power to save what’s in the freezer if the shutdown is longer than 24 hours. We also have a propane stove for cooking.”

In Upcountry areas, Lahaina and other parts of Maui, residents are acutely aware of the risk after the August 2023 wildfires.

High winds can topple power poles, sparking the fires. Besides the more than 2,200 structures burned in Lahaina, 16 homes were destroyed in Kula and three homes in Olinda in separate fires — all with some reports of downed power lines.

According to Hawaiian Electric, the parent company of Maui Electric, the program gives customers 24 to 48 hours’ notice that power may be turned off on windy days in communities with high exposure to wildfire risks. On July 6, Maui Electric customer notifications about the Public Safety Power Shutoff watch went out at 10:30 a.m.

Power was turned off in parts of Upcountry starting at 11:40 a.m. and subsequent customer notifications went out at noon and 12:15 p.m., Maui Electric said.

There were no fires.

Hawaiian Electric spokesperson Darren Pai said there are three primary criteria for shutting off power under the new program, including persistent drought conditions, wind gusts 45 mph and higher, and relative humidity below 45%.

Pai said the decision to shut down power in Upcountry areas July 6 was based on weather station readings that met the criteria.

He said Hawaiian Electric has a retrofit program that allows power storage through batteries for homes to operate independently during these power shutoffs. Pai said Hawaiian Electric does not sell solar panels or batteries.

“Customers should work directly with their solar providers to find systems that match their needs,” Pai said.

Kula resident Dick Mayer, a former board member of the Kula Community Association, said residents appreciate Hawaiian Electric’s initiative in carrying out the emergency power shutoff program. But he is concerned about how a power shutdown might affect people with medical conditions.

“I myself have a medical device that requires power,” he said.

Mayer said that during the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire in Kula, high winds caused trees and a power pole to lean so much the wires were on his street, but he didn’t see any sparks from it and Maui Electric workers corrected the problem.

He’s hoping Hawaiian Electric might look at helping homeowners by collectively purchasing backup battery systems at a discount.

Mayer said the Upcountry region includes a broad area from Haiku to Kahikinui, and he also hopes Hawaiian Electric will be eventually able to identify specific areas where the power shutdowns will take place. He said the map provided by Hawaiian Electric is “generalized.”

Hocker said the Kula Community Association sent a letter in May to Gov. Josh Green seeking state help in the development of two 500,000 gallon water thanks to help fight future wildfires Upcountry.

“They address a long-standing vulnerability in our Upcountry infrastructure,” Hocker said.

For more information about the program, go to Bit.ly/4mjajwT.