A Maui wildfire report shows communities how to avoid similar disasters

A new report on the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century details steps communities can take to reduce the likelihood that grassland wildfires will turn into urban conflagrations.

The report, from a nonprofit scientific research group backed by insurance companies, examined the ways an Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire destroyed the historic Maui town of Lahaina, killing 102 people.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety released the executive summary of the report Wednesday. The IBHS researchers found that a multifaceted approach to fire protection — including establishing fuel breaks around a town, using fire-resistant building materials and reducing flammable connections between homes such as wooden fences — can give firefighters valuable time to fight fires and even help stop the spread of flames through a community.