the county of maui filed a lawsuit against hawaiian electric. e have essentially a monopoly with our electric company. everyone uses hawaiian electric. it will be interesting how we proceed. my hope out of this is looking at best practices and policies going forward, we have those red flag warnings. what is the policy that hawaiian electric put in place so something like this never happens again. will: that is what we can talk about, what caused the fire and how to have the same mistakes in place for the future. let's talk about the response. i spent a lot of time in maui over the last couple weeks. i'm curious. i heard mixed messages. how do you feel the federal government has done in the wake of this tragedy? there were mistakes by the biden administration. what your sense of the response from the federal government? >> it took two weeks for biden to get here. as we saw earlier the comments frustrated people. one of the biggest issues, there hasn't been great communication. we know fema is here but we are not sure what is happening. my husband

maui now suing hawaiian electric aling hawaiian electric's negligence caused wildfires.een energy push coming up on "the evening edit." ♪ ♪ my dad started trek in a red barn in waterloo, wisconsin. and now it spans the globe. you wanna take what was given to you and you wanna build it. and you wanna pass it along. if i can do that, i would have done well. that's why we're here... to help make it happen. (josh allen) is this your plan to watch the game today? (hero fan) i have to watch my neighbors' nfl sunday ticket. (josh allen) it's not your best plan. but you know what is? myplan from verizon. (vo) football season is here. get nfl sunday ticket from youtubetv on us. a $449 value. plus, get a free samsung galaxy z flip5. only on verizon. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ we don't just have everything... we have your thing. ♪ it's not just designed to look good... it's built to command attention. it's not just a comfortable interior... it's a quiet refuge. they're not just headlights... they light the way forward. the new fully electric audi q8 e-tron models... - [narrator] wounded warrior proje

reporter: while the cause of the blaze is still being investigated, there's increasing scrutiny on hawaiian electric. data from whisker labs, a private company that monitors the grid through a network of sensors, shows 34 major electrical incidents on the power lines around lahaina >> literally dozens and dozens of faults occurring over that several-hour period overnight, any one of which could cause an arc fault that would cause and spark a wildfire >> reporter: hawaiian electric didn't specifically address that data or the multiple lawsuits but said in part, we know there is speculation about what started the fire, but the causes haven't been determined >> this was a preventable circumstance >> reporter: graham lipsmith is one of the attorneys who filed suit against the utility. >> the ultra hazardous activity was keeping the power running during this very serious wind event. >> reporter: but hawaiian electric's ceo told me they don't have a program for shutting off power >> it can be seen as creating a hardship for those customers that have medical needs in lahaina. the electricity powers the pum

but we also know that hawaiian electric consists of three utilities of bank, a generation company. maui electric is the smallest of the three utilities. it's about 10% to 15% of rate base. management can't say with certainty that they can ring fence maui electric but it's certainly going to be illegal to fence. we know the bank can be isolated and separated. it's worth $8 to $9 a share. yes, management is not interested -- they believe they have sufficient liquidity over the near term to get through this. there's no maturities near term. i think one of the important things is to try to understand how they're working with the state. people of hawaii have have great pride in their state. they're being part of the community. and to the degree the state can work with the company as they look to restore confidence in this crisis as well as restore service and rebuild and come up with policy going forward will be really a primary determinant of the value of the company long term. >> do you think the bigger problem is the criticism that the company is facing for not turning off the power d

should have had a public safety power shutdown. >> in a statement, hawaiian electric says it remains focused on helping the victims and says it is very disappointed that county has chosen this path while it is still investigating. jobina: the company has acknowledged that some potentially vital evidence in determining the cause of the fire may have been compromised. hawaiian electric says third parties involved in the firefight would have been responsible, not the utility itself. kumasi: the urgent investigation now underway into what caused a united states marine corps aircraft to crash during a multinational training exercise. five people died. the osprey is a hybrid aircraft that takes off and lands in a helicopter but during flight, it can rotate it colors forward and cruise much faster like an airplane. >> a number of investigations will be triggered with an accident of this kind. the osprey is a very unique aircraft. kumasi: there have been 16 in similar clutch problems with the marine ospreys in flight since 2012. there have been no problems since february. jobina: a 2

it may indeed be true for hawaiian electric.you know, in general, utilities tend to be back looking. i think the past is a reasonable indication of the future. and, so, i think that, you know, utilities, especially the smart utilities are trying to do more of what that means to them, what changes need to be made. and, of course, we are moving into a period in which the fire risk will remain elevated and increased throughout the entire west as well as locations for the rest of the region. >> yeah. as the world struggles with the risk of wild fires from the changing climate and other disasters as well. catherine, thanks so much for joining us. >> thank you for having me. >> for more information about how you can help the many, many victims of this tragedy on maui, please go to cnn.com/impact. you can also text hawaii to 707070 to donate. lots of ways there in each of those places to make a difference. >>> coming up next, shot at while they drowned, executed in the desert. disturbing and alarming new cnn reporting on atrocities car

hawaiian electric declined to comment.d heavy losses, analysts at guggenheim said the stock is untouchable, adding there's little way to build a bull case with so much evidentiary and legal uncertainty. meantime barclays said the company's bond could be cut to junk in near future. taking a step back analysts at wells fargo noted it is the latest example of risks around operating electric utilities and wildfire-prone areas, particularly with aging infrastructure in the last few years utilities in california, oregon and colorado have been implicated in wildfires which the firm said could ultimately lead to investors imbedding liability risk for utilities that operate in high-risk areas wells fargo said edison international, sempra, norther western and xcel utilities is among the most exposed >> what are the lawsuits alleging >> i spoke to michael watts with one of the firms firing the case and it alleges gross negligence, specifically around failure to up great their equipment, essentially to harden their grid when they knew

citing this stunning admission in a 2022 funding request to state regulators where hawaiian electric acknowledged, quote, the risk of a utility system causing a wildfire ignition is significant. despite the warning signs, the suit alleges the utility failed to act. hawaiian electric declined to comment on pending litigation, saying, in part, "we will work with the state and county as they conduct their review." >> fire crossing the road not good >> reporter: but now, some are also blaming the power company for slowing the evacuation cole millington shot this video as the flames approached >> there's a mass evacuation occurring, and we were trying to get to safety. and it extremely hindered the chances and the speed at which we were evacuated. >> reporter: all of this, as hope has faded for some families >> he really loved lahaina. >> reporter: alfredo lived in hawaii for more than 30 years he had an aloha for everybody, his family told me, and now he's gone what do you remember >> actually, last month, i took him to vegas fourth of july, i was going to take him for his actual birthda

hawaiian electric said we did not start that second fire.hey're blaming the fire department for leaving too soon and saying that the situation was contained. part of the story was coming out yesterday. they were getting defensive and saw the stock up 45% and now down 5 or 6% and hawaiian electric polls are made of wood and not covered with anything for protection and from the 1960s. a wild fire in california, you're going to deenergize your lines and they've been through this and hawaii doesn't have a system and they need to. hawaiian electric and the county are under fire. stuart: thank you, lauren. ceo of amazon has a warning for employees not wanting to return to the office three day as week. he said it's probably not going to work out for you if you're away for more than three days in the office. scott shellady with me now. employers want this. employees don't. >> if we listen to the job numbers you rattled off, seems to me when i heard that story that maybe it's not as tight as people think it is really. or at least the employeer -- emp

caused the devastating wildfires. >> hawaiian electric should have had a public safety power shutdown>> hawaiian electric says it remains focused on supporting the victims and it is disappointed in the county chose this path. the investigation is still unfolding. jobina: the company has acknowledged that some potentially violent evidence in determining the cause of the fire may have been compromised. three parties involved in the firefight would have been responsible, not the utility itself. kuma since the "i have a dream" speech. >> now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. kumasi: the civil-rights leader gave the speech on this day in 1963. 60 years later, thousands paid tribute in washington, d.c. >> preserve, protect, expand democracy. we must ensure that voting rights are protected for all. we must ensure that women and children are treated fainted. -- fairly. we must. kumasi: that is martin luther king's oldest son. he says it is more important to make progress on his father's push for equality and civil-rights for all. jobina: book bandanas have gone up 70% across

hawaiian electric isn't responding to claims that their company caused the fire at lahaina. >>> thisompany's now disputing one key criticism, though, it failed to shut off power despite high winds and weather warnings. sam brock has the latest. >> reporter: almost three weeks after fires ravaged maui, hawaiian electric facing more than a dozen lawsuits for. the maui county fire department responded and reported it 100% contained, left the scene and later declared extinguished and at 3:00 p.m., when hawaiian electric power lines had been de-energized for more than six hours a second fire the afternoon fire, began in the same area with the cause undetermined. a law firm represents some 300 people suing the utility. >> what is your response to see what the company said overnight about the fact that they're saying the lines were de-energized for six hours. >> we have looked at the evidence very closely, we have people on the ground, there's absolutely no evidence to support the claims. contrast all the everyday we have seen the lines were energized. >> reporter: one of the parties that s

unfortunately hawaiian electric didn't take that step. we don't know yet if it would have prevented what happened but there's a lot of evidence that it might have been really helpful in terms of avoiding some of the losses. >> listen, with more extreme weather becoming the new normal hopefully this will inspire other states to change their practices, really appreciate your expertise. my michael, thank you so much. >> my pleasure. >>> kansas and illinois's men's basketball teams will be playing in a charity exhibition game to benefit maui relief efforts. the schools announced they will play on october 29th in champagne, illinois, previously set to scrimmage but decided to change the event to a fundraiser. and the maker of beanie babies is rolling out a new limited edition bear to help survivors of the wildfires in hawaii, the golden bear with the words maui strong on its chest is named allow highway. all profits from the sale will go to the american red cross. if you would like information on how to help those impacted by the wildfires in

a statement from nbc news says hawaiian electric does not have a formal power shutoff program but it followed typical high-wind protocols. the utility says any shutoff has to be coordinated with first responders because the pumps that provide the water for firefighters are powered by electric. for many of the residents, there's enough blame to go around from the utilities to elected leaders to law enforcement. >> where were you to get us out, evacuate us? we're mad. we're mad. you know, we didn't just lose our homes. we lost our town. we lost history, you know? our kids are traumatized. you guys messed up real bad. >> another utility may be facing questions at some point as firefighters tell "the new york times" that as they responded to lahaina, the hide rants ran dry. the lahaina water system comes from a creek and groundwater. with the power out, pumping water was an issue then and appears to be an issue now. we want to make clear the cause of the fire is under investigation. as you likely know, here in the bay area, pg&e has a system of public safety power shutoffs, but the utili

. >> the county is saying negligence and carelessness of hawaiian electric is directly responsible forire. the company denies that an looming large is the issue of preserving evidence, to find out how the fire started. as hawaiian electric faces litigation, we learned the company acknowledges that some vital evidence in the investigation may have been compromised but thutility says it is not to blame. in a letter included in court documents, the company writes, hawaiian electric is taking reasonable steps to preserve its on property damaged or destroyebecause of the fires, however officials are moving forward to fight the fires and impede that effort, it is therefore possible that the actions of the third parties may result in the loss of property or other items that relate to the cause of the fire. so this story about evidence possibly being compromised was first reported by the washington post but in a email, hawaiian electric says the allegations are inaccurate and they did not elaborate. the company tells us personnel have been in regular communication with local authorities and th

hawaiian electric facing more scrutiny over downed power lines possibly causing the devastating fires. more than 1,000 federal personnel now on the ground. >>> the war in ukraine. russia launching a devastating missile attack on the center of the city of chernihiv. several people killed, including a 6-year-old girl. dozens wounded. russia targeting civilians in broad daylight. tom sufi burridge is on the scene of the strike. >>> former president trump with less than a week to surrender in georgia, now signaling he may not take the stage for the first republican debate on wednesday. some of his rivals tonight slamming him for sitting it out. and what he may do instead. >>> and "america strong" tonight -- the couple renewing their vows after 73 years. their secret to a long, happy marriage. >> mary: good evening. thanks for joining us on this saturday night. i'm mary bruce in for whit johnson. as we come on the air tonight, a life-threatening hurricane is taking aim at southern california with concerns for catastrophic flooding. hilary is on track to be the first tropical storm to hit t

hawaiian electric has denied those allegations. 115 people have been confirmed dead because of the wildfires in kron four's parent company nexstar is partnering with the red cross to help folks affected by the fires there. we have a link on our website kron 4 dot com. if you'd like to help out. my weather time now is we're back in the bay taking a live look outside on this monday. the view from out beautiful day here, lawrence. not too hot. not too cold. just a nice late summer day. yeah, we're going to be feeling the heat coming up. in fact, we're going to start to talk about the possibility >> of some higher fire danger to in the bay area. this that time of year. certainly the most beautiful time of year in the bay area really are to summer kicking in as we head into late august and september, the warmest time of year around the bay area. but also that's we start talking about the offshore, those northerly winds. and of course, that's when we start to worry about more fire danger, too up there right now. it's hazy looking from mount sutro cam up toward the golden gate bridge right now is o

. >>> hawaiian electric acknowledges it played a role in the historic fire but puts the ultimate blameon elsewhere. how messy this could get. well, a legal expert will join me to talk about it, next. me to talk about it,ex nt. sometimes jonah wrestles with falling asleep... ...so he takes zzzquil. the world's #1 sleep aid brand for a better night sleep. so now, he wakes up feeling like himself. the reigning family room middle-weight champion. better days start with zzzquil nights. ♪ tourists tourists that turn into scientists. tourists taking photos that are analyzed by ai. so researchers can help life underwater flourish. ♪ listen, your deodorant just has to work. i use secret aluminum free. just swipe and it lasts all day. secret helps eliminate odor, instead of just masking it. and hours later, i still smell fresh. secret works! ohhh yesss. ♪♪ david: as we start a new school year, there's something new happening in california's public schools. they're called community schools. leslie: it really is shared leadership with families, students, educators, and communities. jessie: i feel

the maui government is accusing hawaiian electric company of causing the deadly blaze. as another lawsuit claims that same company removed damaged power poles and other equipment before investigators arrived. >>> the new york governor pleading for help from president biden amid a surge of migrants, as new york city may start using a shuttered prison as a temporary shelter, officials desperate to find room. >>> we are following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to "cnn news central." >>> the 45th president booked on criminal charges four times now, and that last one makes him the first ex-president to have his mug shot taken. donald trump called his experience at the fulton county jail last night, terrible. that didn't stop him from using the mug shot to sell campaign merchandise. as he tries to profit off the case, several of his codefendants are trying to get out of it. and they're doing it by pointing the finger right at trump, saying they were just following his directions. katelyn polantz is at the fulton county courthouse for us.

there are questions here about hawaiian electric. s their electricity continuing to flow to lahaina throughout that day? electricity and power was lost at 6:00 a.m. and came back on at various times. there have been surveys of the electrical grid that day and it looks like, you know, there is a revelation of pops or outages right when the first fire broke out early in the morning at 6:00 a.m. and there is video as you know, most people watching have seen the video of downed power lines sparking dry grass. the power lines often with hawaiian electric were old, rick ety, road power lines and 80 mile-per-hour winds and thrp on notice. a big fire in 2018. since that time the power lines weren't put underground or upgraded to big reinforced steel structures. so you had a catastrophe waiting to happen. to know that after the fact according to the "washington post" they already removed some downed polls and lines from the suspected start of the fire sure makes you look guilty. now there may be reasons and they say we wanted to get power back

as hawaiian electric faces litigation in the wake of this disaster, we have learned that the companycknowledges that some vital evidence in the fire investigation may have been compromised. but the utility says, is not to blame. in lter included in court documents dated august the 11th, the company writes, quote, hawaiian electric is taking reasonable steps to preser i own property that was damaged or destroyed cae of these devastating fires. however, state, local, a federal government actors and are moving forward to fight the fires d clear out debris that maimpede that effort. it's therefore possible, even likely that the actions of these third parties whose actions hawaiian electric does not control may result in the loss of property or other items that relate to the cause of the fire. so, this story about evidence possibly being compromised in the lahaina fire investigation was first reported by "the washington post." but in an email to cnn, hawaiian electric said the paper's allegations are inaccurate and they did not elaborate further. the company is telling us its personnel ha

. >> reporter: maui county is now suing hawaiian electric, accusing it of ignoring high wind warningsy grass and brush. the lawsuit says the fire was a direct and legal result of the negligence, carelessness, and recklessness of hawaiian electric. >> so you saw these power lines swaying? >> swaying, snapping. >> reporter: on the day of the fire, eddy garcia said he tried to warn the utility. >> just dial, dial, i think we dialed them 150 times, look from our polls are going to go down from our polls are going to go down here >> reporter: did you get any response? >> zero. zero. called police to farm, fire department.@>> reporter: so he s video online. >> that could be a fire and a half a second pure and holy moly counted 32 poles down way before the fire, and yeah, someone should be held responsible. >> reporter: now in response, the lawsuit, hawaiian electric says it is appointed that maui county chose litigation while the investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing. margaret? >> margaret: ben tracy. with new covid cases on the rise, an advisory panel to the cdc is sete

hawaiian electric points out the fire is still under investigation. it does not have a formal power shut off program. high wind protocols. new details with a power substation near the site of the original three-acre fire. no official cause for the fire. many people wondering how can i help the people of maui? we posted a list of verified organizations collecting donations on our website. a heartbreaking update in the search for a missing southbay teenager. the santa clara sheriff's office has located human remains. located yesterday during the ongoing search for catherine schneider. 17-year-old schneider was last seen driving away on july 5th. deputies found her car monday off highway 35 near castle rock state park. no sign of katie. the coroner has not identified the person who the remains belonged to. 's mother says the sheriff's office told the family the remains are in fact katie's. >>> witnesses say the driver of a green truck backed into two pedestrians who were unlocking bikes from a poll. the boy ended up in between the truck and his bike tang

hawaiian electric responded saying they are very disappointed that maui county chose this path while the investigation is still unfolding. >>> the number of covid cases is inching up nationwide, the cdc expects this trend uptick to continue into the fall. and updated boosters will be available once the fda signed off on the cdc and they set eligibility guidelines. meanwhile, the flu shot is now out, doctors say it is best taken in october and you can get both at the same time. >>> we now know california sea otters are cute, and now a growing body of evidence shows they play a big role in fighting the impacts of climate change. elizabeth cook shows us how. >> reporter: early morning, a small boat takes off from moss landing and our story begins. >> it is a beautiful story of nature getting back in balance. >> reporter: community scientists and u.s. navy veteran on board marine scientists, armed with binoculars and notepads. nearby, more community scientists , all volunteers perched on the banks. they are set up at more than a dozen locations and ready to go. >> we have an area that ha

he says the company hired private investigators to claim that hawaiian electric did not maintain its system properly, which ultimately caused the fires. the official cause of the fires has not been determined. so different locations, different things went wrong of treason to lines lines breaking, falling on the ground and energizing grass. all of those things. i describe things are far investigators found in this case, some maui residents have also filed lawsuits against hawaiian electric experts point out that if the lawsuits are successful, it would mean higher rates for all customers. >> they're already be great impact. because he cole has to restore. the damage. infrastructure. and that's going to be quite costly. >> the company sent us a statement saying we are very disappointed that maui county chose this litigious pathe while the investigation is still unfolding. manolo morales. >> maui county released what they're calling a verified list of names who were reported missing following the of fire. there are now 8, 388 388 names on this list. that's much lower than the 1100 numbe

now, the suit claims that hawaiian electric should have shut off power before the fire when the weather service was warning of those high winds coming and the extreme fire danger. the class action suit claims that there was a downed power line at a power substation near the site of the initial fire. in a statement to nbc news, hawaiian electric says it does not have a formal power shutoff program, but that it did follow its typical high-wind protocols. the utility adds that any shutoff had to be coordinated with first responders because the pumps that provide the water for firefighters are powered by electricity. for many of the residents, there is enough blame to go around, from utilities to elected leaders, to law enforcement. >> where were you to try to get us out, evacuate us? we're mad, we're mad. we didn't just lose our homes, we lost our town, we lost history, you know. our kids are traumatized. you guys messed up real bad. >> reporter: another utility may be facing questions as firefighters tell "the new york times" that as they were responding to lahaina, the hydrants ran dry.

headline, hawaiian electric new a wildfire threat but waited years to act.appreciate you joining us this morning. you and your colleagues write, quote, during the 2019 wildfire season, one of the worst maui had ever seen, when electric concluded that it needed to do far more to prevent its powerlines from many sparks. the utility examined california's plans to produce fires ignited by powerlines and started flying drones over's territory and vowed to take steps to protect its equipment and the customers from the threat of fire. nearly four years later, the company has done little such work, in quote. tell me about this. why, if it knew this was a thing, was it not done? >> it's really a tragic story here. they had known for years, as you pointed out, ali velshi, we did this and they've known since at least 2019 and it took until at least 2022 last year for them to put in the request to the regulatory commission to get the money to do this. and in fact, the -- asked them, why didn't you wait so long? and he said it's because they have hired a consultant in th

hawaiian electric is facing a great deal of legal jeopardy at the moment.triona: meanwhile, there is still a large number of people unaccounted for. the recovery has a long way to go. what is the latest? >> the authorities have released a list of just under 400 people they believe is missing. they say it is a much more complete list than they had earlier in the week and they are urging people to come forward who are alive and might be on the list so they can be excluded. they are asking residents to give their dna so they can identify people from the remains they are sifting through in places like lahaina. it is a grim business that will continue for some time but they are hopeful that some of these people belied to be missing will be found. what unquestionably, the 150 death toll is likely to rise. caitriona: more broadly speaking, how is the recovery process going in terms of getting back people to their homes? >> it is taking a lot of time. it is a long way from the coast and they have to get a lot of people and materials in their. they are going through

people have filed a lawsuit against hawaiian electric. the suit claims the company should have shut off power after the national weather service issued warnings about the high winds and extreme fire danger. hawaiian electric did not use a public power shut off plan which a number of states including california now use to cut fire risk. utility has not yet responded to that suit. >>> seven hours in the water, clinging to a wall as cars exploded around her. tonight, one woman sharing her harrowing fight to survive a fast moving inferno in lahaina. >> maryanne joins us in the news room with this incredible story. >> reporter: annalise cochran had to flee her apartment in lahaina and race to the ocean. she spent hours with another threat. embers burning her face while the rest of her body grappled with hypothermia. it was the sound of dozens of smoke alarms going off that alerted her to the intense flames headed toward her lahaina department. >> there were embers the size of small boulders. >> reporter: she grabbed a few belongings and her pe

starting the deadly wildfires this month, suit claims a hawaiian electric failed to maintain the electricaged the island 115 people killed nearly 1,000 more still missing. hawaiian electric report suspended quarterly dividend grew down combined total 370 million dollars on will revolving credit lines down 17% premarket 70% in august. tmentally, 5,000 jobs or 7% of taff to reduce cost competition grows in waterless carrier market ceo says quote what it takes to twkt retain customers is materially more expensive than it was just a few quarters ago. 2 layoffs happen over next five weeks and will involve a range of positions in corporate and back office security guard minneapolis taylor swift concert viral for singing her song ended up getting fired after the gig because he i violated the security team photo policies bragged about it on tiktok, his name is kevin denker asked members to snap a picture of him enjoying the show working the show, here is what he told fox news digital. >> i came out pieces of paper to do a couple audience members directly in front of me that basically said, um --

hawaiian electric made its first statement since the lawsuit was filed accusing the power company of negligence. hawaiian electric says it agrees downed power lines were the cause of the smaller fires that were quickly deenergized. they said by the time the fire department responded they were able to contain the blaze as it spread out of control. the wildfire has killed at least 115 people. >>> six months from now, that's when a federal judge in washington, d.c. set the trial date for former president donald trump's election interference case. the trial lands in the middle of the republican presidential primary season and could impact the 2024 election. >>> mean while, a judge in georgia set an arraignment date for the former president and his 18 co-defendants. nbc's alice barr reports from the federal courthouse in washington, d.c. >> reporter: in a year that will be packed with political and legal significance, there's a new date to watch. march 4, 2024, the day before super tuesday. now the trial date for the washington, d.c.-based federal election interference case against former

lawsuits are mounting surrounding the possible mishandling of evidence by hawaiian electric. questions remain as to when crews began clearing down power lines that would have been part of the probe. meanwhile witnesses tell abc news they saw the fire begin. >> neighbors here tell me they saw a fire spark right here hours before they saw flames darting right down this hill headed for the town of lahaina. >> hawaiian electric released a statement in which it insists it took steps to ensure evidence was appropriate be preserved. a spokesperson acknowledged the area was not cordoned off in the days immediately after the fire. >> well, more protests are planned in connection with the spanish soccer controversy. >> a now suspended luis rubiales claims he's the victim of a social assassination as both anger and his defiance grow over his kiss. following spain's women's world cup win. the man at the center of the kiss that set off global outrage has now been suspended by world soccer officials as the scandal surrounding him grows. the head of spain's soccer association, luis rubiales

and now hawaiian electric is pushing back against multiple lawsuits the company has responded saying a fire that started early this morning was caused by power lines that fell. the fire was 100% contained. they say the power lines had been de-energized for more than six hours when another fire started in the afternoon that ravaged lahaina. the cause of the fire is undetermined hawaiian electric declined a request for interview, but their ceo previously told nbc news they did not have a power shutoff program. >>> we are of course tracking tropical storm idalia as it moves to the florida coast angie, good morning. >> we are still talking about a strong tropical storm eyeidalia it is going to peck up ick up p. we have plenty of watches and warnings up. a hurricane warning for sarasota stretching up into the big bend area that looks like the most impacted here. but tropical storm watches for parts of the carolinas and hurricane watches in effect for other parts of the state of florida. here's path. you see become a category two hurricane by the time we get into the afternoon hours today

. >>> hawaiian electric is denying reports that the utility company may have removed evidence related to the wildfire investigation on maui. a spokesperson for the company says the story is not accurate and the company is fully cooperating with federal, state and local investigators. hawaiian electric is facing multiple lawsuits alleging negligence for not shutting down power lines ahead of the fire despite high wind and red flag warnings. >>> air quality has been top of mind for many as wildfire smoke blanketed huge swaths of the country this summer. now researchers are on a mission to study it with a flying science lab. >> reporter: it may be an unusual sight as a large plane soars only 1,000 feet overhead, but inside researchers are on an important mission as they tackle air pollution. >> we can understand the science behind air quality much better than before. >> reporter: the project is called aroma and it studies how air quality has changed over the years at a higher detail. >> there's a lot of new sources that we haven't seen in the past. >> reporter: from the east coast to the

hawaiian electric being accused of years of inaction leading up to the deadly fire a new lawsuit alleges the utility knew of the risks for years and failed to take steps to prevent catastrophe, citing this admission in a 2022 request to state regulators where they acknowledged, quote, the risk of a utility system causing a wildfire ignition is significant. despite the warning signs, the suit alleges the utility failed to act hawaiian electric declined to comment on pending litigation, saying this part, we will work with the state and county as they conduct the review. >> fire crossing the road. not good >> reporter: but now, some are also blaming the power company for slowing the evacuation cole millington shot this video as the flames approached >> theres with a mass evacuation occurring and we were trying to get to safety and it extremely hindered the chances and speed at which we vac waiting. >> reporter: all of this as hope faded for some families. alfredo lived in hawaii for more than 30 years. he hada for everybody, his family told me and now he's gone. what do you remember in. in

maui county has filed a lawsuit against the company hawaiian electric accusing it of negligence. in response, hawaii electric says the power lines were not energized the afternoon the fires broke out. hawaiian electric says an earlier small morning fire appears to have been caused by downeded power lines but that the maui counter fire department reported that fire to be extinguished. more than 100 people have been confirmed to have died in the fires. hundreds more remain missing. >>> also in the state of california, suing a school district regarding students who are transgender or gender nonconforming. within the past 90 minutes, the attorney general rob bonta announced his office just filed a lawsuit against the chino valley school district in san bernardino county. it is seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the district policy that bonta said discriminates against transgender youth. in july, the district adopted a new policy that requires staff to inform parents when a student requests to be treated as another gender or use facilities such as restrooms designated for a

hawaiian electric has said that they would have endangered people who rely on electricity for medical and could have hamper the work of american workers. >>> in the wake of those devastating fires, there are so many people in need of health, and pets as well. tonight, shelters or joining forces an emergency flight carrying those pets to touchdown in the east bay just a short time ago. as we get shown from hayward, organizers say it was the right thing to do as mary recovers. >> reporter: just over 40 shelter animals from maui arrived here tonight, and hayward. for those area shelters that are taking them in, the goal is to help those pets find a forever home. a cargo plane carrying dozens of shelter plats from a maui open with open ours at the hayward executive airport. one by one, they were split between six animal shelters that will transport them to each of the prospective shelters. >> just like everybody, we have been really == test == test == test == we have been upset with what we saw on the news, and what's happened. executive director of the humane society. he spirit knighted

hawaiian electric defending its actions, saying power was needed to keep the water running. thorities say in some places, that ultimately failed, too. firefighters reporting some fire hydrants had run dry. >> in lahaina, the electricity powers the pumps that provide the water. so that was also a critical need during that time. >> david: and it was around midnight that night those two captains, riley and travis, arrive in that harbor only to find the raging fires and the blinding smoke. a week later, they're aware they were not the only ones who raced in to help. a lot of people here did a lot of heroic work, huh? >> the community's been amazing on the response side. there was other boats out here that night, we're not the only one. >> that was one of the amazing things out of this is how fast the community came together and rose up. it was instant, it was everybody. >> david: i think the whole country is thinking about the people of lahaina and maui. we've got to do something to honor all these families here. >> i hope so. >> david: those two captains, so many heroes here on

the biggest one of note, a maui county putting in a claim against the hawaiian electric company.orter jenn sullivan brings us the latest. >> is first responders sift through what remains in western maui. families are searching through this list of those still missing from the catastrophic wildfires earlier this month. >> i know that everyone has to hold out hope, but there's a part of you that just knows. >> a list of 388 names of people still unaccounted for was released thursday. >> once those names come out, it can and will cause pain for some folks that are affected by this. >> at least 115 people perished in the flames that tore through the island earlier this month. the wildfires in maui are the deadliest us wildfire in over 100 years. moody's analytics estimates the fire caused up to $6 billion in damage for some, no amount of money, though, can replace what they lost. i know the hurt. >> i know the just the deep void we all feel because losing lahaina, losing our family members is something so personal. >> as families grapple with grief, many now asking how something so d

response to maui county's lawsuit blaming utility for failing to shut off power preemptively hawaiian electric called that complaint factually and responsible. the utility says its power lines in west maui had had been de energized for more than 6 hours when the second fire started. this comes after the washington post reported that the utility they have removed evidence from the scene in la hina hawaiian electric has denied those allegations 115 people have been confirmed dead because of these fires. >> less than 2 weeks since tropical storm hilary slammed much of california. and just months after california. record flooding. senator alex padilla is out with a new proposal that he says will greatly help our state agricultural industry recover from storm damage. our capitol correspondent eytan wallace spoke with padilla and brings us details on the proposal. senator alex padilla visiting the davis ran sacramento county. >> grown here. all kinds of fresh produce from corn to watermelon to a wide variety of vegetables. but he came to the farm to lead this roundtable with local well, there were s

hawaiian electric says the county rushed to court before this is the own investigation and they said power lines, data been reported 100% contained and extinguished by maui county by the fire department, then they said another fire started after its own lines had been deenergized, this is good to be decided in a court of law but look at the investor reaction right now, hawaiian electric coming up forcefully saying it's not her fault stock is up 45% and is been hammered this month. david: a court of law, a good start for 3m there is a lawsuit behind this. lauren: a five and a half billion dollars settlement over allegedly defective earplugs used by the military. i know five and half billion dollars sounds like a lot of money but is half what was expected. 3m is expecting 300,000 lawsuits over 12 years of complaints of defects in their earplugs causing service members to lose their hearing, 3m reached a tentative settlement over forever chemicals in public drinking water at a 12 at half billion dollar cost to the company. the stock is up because this is getting all of that behind them

mike, all this comes as hawaiian electric is now acknowledging that some evidence involving the cause compromised. >> reporter: exactly. and that's important, fred, because a cause of the catastrophe has not been determined officially as of yet. maui county is saying a spark from a snapped power line, most likely started the fire. so preserving evidence of electrical equipment from a power substation near lahaina is key. the utility says it is not to blame for equipment moved in a fire zone, specifically writing, quote, hawaiian electric is taking reasonable steps to preserve its own property that was damaged or destroyed because of these devastating fires. however, state, local and federal government actors and others are moving forward to fight the fires and to clear out debris and other items that impede that effort. it is, therefore, possible, and even likely that the actions of these third parties, whose actions hawaiian electric does not control, may result in the loss of property or other items that relate to the cause of the fire. so there is the cause, preserving evidence, an

reporter: while the cause of the blaze is still being investigated, there's increasing scrutiny on hawaiian electricta from a private company that monitors the grid through a network of sensors shows 34 major electrical incidents on the power lines around lahaina. >> literally dozens and dozens of faults occurring over that several hour period overnight any one of which could cause an arked fault that would cause a spark and wildfire. >> reporter: hawaiian electric didn't specifically address that data or the multiple lawsuits but said in part we know there is speculation about what started it fire, but the causes haven't been determined. >> this was a preventable circumstance. >> reporter: graham is one of the attorneys who filed suit against the utility. >> the activity was keeping the power running during this very serious wind event. >> reporter: but hawaiian electric ceo told me they don't have a program for shutting off power. >> it can be seen as creating a hardship for those customers that have medical needs. in lahaina the electricity powers the pumps that provide the water. and so that was

after destructive fires in 2019, hawaiian electric promised to upgrade equipment and trim more treesear power lines but four years later, records show it spent less than a quarter million dollars on wildfire prevention. >> it was not an accident. accidents don't happen with this electricity when we have red flag warnings. that's when you act and you make sure your equipment is in order. >> hawaiian electric says it doesn't comment on pending litigation but will study every angle. >> we will be doing our own investigation. the state will be doing an investigation. >> the state is also on defense. >> do you regret not sounding the sirens? >> i do not. the public is trained to seek higher ground in the event that the siren is sounded. if that was the case then they would have gone into the fire. >> sirens are typically associated with tsunamis. though one hasn't severely damaged hawaii in 63 years. and they happen on average every 12. wildfires storms, hurricanes, volcanos and mud slides, according to fema, pose a bigger threat. according to the state the warning system was build for, q

questions and lawsuits are taking aim at hawaiian electric.county is alleging that the state's main utility showed negligence by failing to shut power off amid fierce winds and a fire weather watch. cell phone videos from the early hours of the blaze show sparks flaring near toppled power lines. in a statement, hawaiian electric said they're "very disappointed that maui county chose this litigious path while the investigation is still unfolding." the lawsuit also claims the company has compromised evidence by removing damaged lines and other equipment. evidence of potential liability in a disaster whose toll remains incalculable. for "the pbs newshour," i'm stephanie sy. geoff: we are going to take a closer look with kaniela ing. he is a seventh-generation indigenous hawaiian from maui and a former state legislator. he now serves as national director of the green new deal network. thank you for being with those. as we just reported, maui county is suing the hawaiian electric company, alleging negligence led to the worst wildfire in this countr