The Washington POST and other mainstream sources are beginning to report on what really caused the Hawaii fires–the hurricane force winds were a factor.
Some online speculated that a weaponized beam did it, the reality seems to be more on the mundane side. However one that could lead to some tremendous legal issues or power companies.. (Snopes among those de-energizing speculation about a directed energy weapons)
More from the POST’s reporting:
“The power goes out, our generator kicks in, the camera comes back online, and then the forest is on fire.”
At that exact moment, 10 sensors in Makawao, a small, rural town in the East Maui region of Upcountry — where the Conservation Center is located — recorded a significant incident in Hawaiian Electric’s grid, according to data from Whisker Labs, a company that uses an advanced sensor network to monitor grids across the United States. The bright light in the video was probably an “arc flash,” something that happens when a power line “faults” — meaning it has come in contact with vegetation or another line, or gets knocked down, releasing power, usually through sparks, according to a Whisker Labs official and other experts.
“This is strong confirmation — based on real data — that utility grid faults were likely the ignition source for multiple wildfires on Maui,” said Bob Marshall, the founder and CEO of Whisker Labs, which has 78 sensors across Maui, part of a robust network of hundreds of thousands monitoring grids across the United States.
In the days leading up the predicted hurricane winds, Hawaiian Electric did not cut power as a precaution.
DEVELOPING..
