Parties in lawsuits seeking damages for Maui fires reach $4B global settlement, court filings say

HONOLULU (AP) — The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

The term sheet with details of the settlement is not publicly available, but the liaison attorneys filed a motion saying the global settlement seeks to resolve all Maui fire claims for $4.037 billion. The motion asks the judge to order that insurers can’t separately go after the defendants to recoup money paid to policyholders.

The settlement was reached amid fears that Hawaiian Electric, the power company that some blame for sparking the blaze, could be on the brink of bankruptcy. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the Aug. 8, 2023 fires that killed 102 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina.

Gilbert Keith-Agaran, a Maui attorney who represents victims, including families who lost relatives, said the amount was “woefully short.” But he said it was a deal plaintiffs needed to consider given Hawaiian Electric’s limited assets and potential bankruptcy.

The agreement was the first step toward getting fire victims compensation, said Jake Lowenthal, a Maui attorney selected as one of four liaisons for the coordination of the cases. More work needs to be done on how to divvy up the amount.

“We’re under no illusions that this is going to make Maui whole,” Lowenthal told The Associated Press. “We know for a fact that it’s not going to make up for what they lost.”

Thomas Leonard, who lost his Front Street condo in the fire and spent hours in the ocean behind a seawall hiding from the flames, welcomed the news.

“It gives us something to work with," he said. "I’m going to need that money to rebuild.”

Hawaiian Electric said the settlement will help reestablish the company’s financial stability. Payments would begin after final approval and were expected no earlier than the middle of next year, it said.

“For the many affected parties to work with such commitment and focus to reach resolution in a uniquely complex case is a powerful demonstration of how Hawaii comes together in times of crisis,” CEO Sheelee Kimura said in a statement.

The seven defendants will pay the $4.037 billion to compensate those who already have brought claims, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said. He called the proposed settlement an agreement in principle and said it would "help our people heal.”

“My priority as governor was to expedite the agreement and to avoid protracted and painful lawsuits so as many resources as possible would go to those affected by the wildfires as quickly as possible,” he said in a statement.

He said it was unprecedented to settle lawsuits like this in only one year.

“It will be good that our people don’t have to wait to rebuild their lives as long as others have in many places that have suffered similar tragedies,” Green said. On Wednesday, Green told the AP in an interview the settlement money would be important for Lahaina's recovery.

More than 600 lawsuits have been filed over the deaths and destruction caused by the fires, which burned thousands of homes and displaced 12,000 people. In the spring, a judge appointed mediators and ordered all parties to participate in settlement talks.

Defendant Maui County said the agreement represents a shared commitment between the parties to continue negotiating in good faith towards a larger, detailed resolution that would seek to equitably distribute the settlement money.

The state’s largest landowner, Kamehameha Schools, a charitable trust formerly known as the Bishop Estate, said it’s agreed to contribute a portion of the settlement assuming a final binding agreement is reached.

Two other defendants, Hawaiian Telcom and West Maui Land Co., did not immediately respond to email messages or phone calls seeking comment.

Spectrum/Charter Communications declined to comment.

FILE - Shelee Kimura, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaiian Electric, appears before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Capitol Hill, Sept. 28, 2023, in Washington. The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year's Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

FILE - Hawaii Gov. Josh Green speaks at the 2024 summer meeting of the National Governors Association on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Salt Lake City. The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, Aug. 2. The agreement comes nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed 102 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina on Maui. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE - Waiola Church and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission are engulfed in flames along Wainee Street, Aug. 8, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. The agreement comes nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed 102 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina on Maui. (Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP, File)

A visitor walks by photos of victims of the August 2023 wildfire at a memorial near the Lahaina Bypass highway on Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, Aug. 2. The agreement comes nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed 102 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina on Maui. The Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire burned thousands of homes and displaced 12,000 people.(AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

FILE - A wasteland of burned out homes and obliterated communities is left on Aug. 10, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii, following the wildfire that devastated the area. The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. The agreement comes nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed 102 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina on Maui. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Crews work to clean debris and repave roads, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, Aug. 2. The agreement comes nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed 102 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina on Maui. The Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire burned thousands of homes and displaced 12,000 people. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

FILE - A general view shows the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 17, 2023. The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. The agreement comes nearly one year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed 102 people and destroyed the historic downtown area of Lahaina on Maui. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

SEATTLE (AP) — A year ago, the New York Yankees were knocked out of playoff contention with a week to go in the regular season, ending a string of six straight postseason appearances.

Remembering what that was like made wrapping up a playoff berth with more than a week left this time around feel that much better to the Yankees.

“A lot of things have come together. Probably better health overall. Definitely an added focus for guys that were coming off tough years and simply put, we’re better. We weren’t a great team last year and this team has a chance to do something special,” New York manager Aaron Boone said.

After spending last year sitting at home when the postseason arrived, the Yankees wrapped up their place in the playoffs with a 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners in 10 innings Wednesday night.

New York has the best record in the American League at 89-63 and leads second-place Baltimore by five games in the AL East with 10 to play. The latest victory ensured the Yankees at least a wild card.

It’s the 59th postseason appearance in franchise history, but the Yankees are still trying to end a World Series drought that dates to 2009, when New York celebrated its 27th title.

Last year, the Yankees were hampered by an injury-riddled roster that was eliminated from playoff contention on Sept. 24. Before that, the Yankees hadn’t missed the postseason since 2016, when Aaron Judge had just 27 games of major league experience.

Now they’re headed back to the playoffs with Judge the MVP favorite in the American League, another hitting star in Juan Soto and a starting pitching staff that might have enough depth to carry the Yankees on a deep playoff run.

“(It’ll) definitely be exciting, especially after the season we had last year missing out on the postseason,” Judge said. “That’s what we came into the season to do, get into the postseason and give ourselves an opportunity to go out there and win a World Series. That’ll be step one, but we've got to get there first.”

The task over the final stretch is making sure that return to the playoffs includes going in as champions of the AL East. The recent slump by the Orioles has opened a gap in the division race and built perhaps enough of a cushion to take some of the drama away from next week’s three-game series between the teams in the Bronx.

But it only remains stress-free as long as the Yankees don’t stumble over the next few days. After closing out the series in Seattle on Thursday, the Yankees finish up their final trip with three games in Oakland.

They hope it’s the last time they have to be away from home for a while.

“Our goal is to win the division. That’s what we want to do," Soto said. “We’re going to focus on that and try to finish the season strong.”

Soto is a big reason the Yankees are back in the playoffs and might end up with home-field advantage in the American League. While Judge is rightfully the favorite to win his second MVP in the past three seasons with 53 homers and 136 RBIs, the contributions from Soto have been equally important.

Soto reached the 40-homer mark for the first time in Tuesday’s series opener against the Mariners. It was also the 200th longball of his career, at just age 25 and heading into an offseason when he will be the top free agent. The duo will probably determine just how deep this Yankees playoff run goes.

“Getting a front-row seat this year, all year, watching him, watching him go about it, watching him day in and day out, just a great hitter,” Boone said.

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New York Yankees' Anthony Rizzo follows through on an RBI double against the Seattle Mariners during the 10th inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

New York Yankees' Anthony Rizzo reacts after hitting an RBI double against the Seattle Mariners during the 10th inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto hits a double against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

New York Yankees' Anthony Rizzo hits an RBI single to score Jasson Domínguez against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)