A judge is forcing Hawaii to give wildfire investigation documents to lawyers handling lawsuits

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — A judge is forcing the Hawaii attorney general’s office to turn over documents, interviews and data on last summer’s Maui wildfires to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over the disaster. Attorneys representing thousands of plaintiffs suing over the August fires filed a motion last month asking a judge to compel the state provide them with the material gathered by the Fire Safety Research Institute. The outside team was hired by the state to investigate the fires. The state refused, saying disclosing the records would “jeopardize and hinder” the investigation. There have been some 400 lawsuits filed involving thousands of plaintiffs.