Hawaiian Electric continues to grapple with extensive power outages across Maui following a severe wind event that prompted widespread safety shutoffs. Approximately 10,000 customers in West Maui have been without electricity since Monday evening, with utility officials unable to provide a definitive timeline for restoration due to persistent hazardous conditions that show no signs of abating in the immediate future.
The crisis began around 7 p.m. on February 9, 2026, when powerful wind gusts started battering the island with unprecedented force. By 8:30 p.m., meteorological data showed wind speeds surpassing 80 miles per hour in some West Maui locations, while humidity levels plummeted rapidly into the single digits in some areas. These dangerous fire weather conditions, combined with critically dry vegetation following months of below-average rainfall, forced Hawaiian Electric to implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), a preventive measure designed to reduce wildfire risk during extreme weather events that has become increasingly common across fire-prone regions.
The initial outage affected 8,800 customers across communities including Lahaina, Kāʻanapali, and Nāpili. However, as conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the evening, the utility's emergency operations center made the difficult but necessary decision to de-energize additional circuits serving roughly 1,200 more customers in surrounding areas. This brought the total number of affected residents and businesses in West Maui to approximately 10,000, creating one of the largest preemptive power shutoffs in the island's history.
Damage Assessment Protocols and Safety Requirements
Utility crews cannot begin restoration work until specific safety thresholds are met, creating a frustrating waiting period for affected customers. According to Hawaiian Electric's standard procedures, which were developed in consultation with fire safety experts and meteorologists, damage assessment can only commence during daylight hours and after wind gusts have dropped below 45 miles per hour for a sustained period of at least two hours. Additionally, humidity levels must exceed 45% for at least two consecutive hours before personnel can safely inspect equipment and begin repairs.
These stringent requirements mean that even after the immediate fire weather threat subsides, restoration efforts face significant delays. Once conditions permit, crews will conduct visual inspections of power lines, poles, transformers, and other infrastructure to identify any wind-related damage. Only after completing these comprehensive assessments and making necessary repairs can power be safely restored—a process that utility officials warn could take hours or even days depending on the extent of any damage discovered.
The waiting game continues as meteorologists predict that wind gusts will remain above the 45 mph threshold through at least Wednesday morning, with humidity levels struggling to reach the required 45% mark due to the dry air mass settled over the region. This means that even preliminary assessments may not begin for another 24 to 48 hours, extending the outage duration significantly.
Additional Outages Across Maui County
While West Maui bears the brunt of the PSPS-related outages, other areas have experienced weather-related power failures that are taxing the utility's resources. In the Upcountry region, specifically the Makawao/Olinda area, approximately 826 customers lost power Tuesday morning when strong winds toppled trees onto power lines. Hawaiian Electric reported that most service had been restored by 11 a.m. through emergency repairs, though 159 customers remained without electricity as crews continued working to resolve the issue and clear debris.
The island of Molokaʻi has also been affected, with 297 customers in the remote Kaluakoi/Maunaloa area experiencing outages when the island's transmission system was impacted by the same weather system. First responders have been dispatched to assist vulnerable residents, and utility teams are working to restore service. Hawaiian Electric has emphasized that these smaller, isolated outages are not related to the PSPS protocol but rather direct impacts from the severe weather system, though they complicate the overall restoration effort by stretching crew availability.
Understanding Public Safety Power Shutoffs
The PSPS program represents a significant shift in utility operations, prioritizing wildfire prevention over uninterrupted service—a trade-off that has generated considerable debate within affected communities. During extreme fire weather events—characterized by high winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation—de-energizing power lines eliminates a potential ignition source that could spark catastrophic blazes. While controversial due to the inconvenience and economic impact caused, the policy has become increasingly common in fire-prone regions across the western United States.
Hawaiian Electric implemented its PSPS program following the devastating Lahaina wildfire of August 2023, which highlighted the catastrophic consequences of power line ignitions during severe wind events. That tragedy claimed 101 lives and destroyed thousands of structures, creating a watershed moment for utility safety practices across the state. The current situation demonstrates the utility's commitment to avoiding similar tragedies, even at the cost of extended outages and significant community disruption.
Community Impact and Response
The prolonged power loss has created significant hardships for West Maui residents and businesses, testing community resilience just months after the region began recovering from the Lahaina fire. Without electricity, communities face disruptions to daily life, including spoiled food, loss of communication capabilities, inability to operate essential medical equipment, and lack of climate control during unpredictable weather. Local emergency management agencies have established cooling centers at community centers and schools, while cellular providers have deployed mobile charging stations for affected residents.
Business owners, particularly those in the tourism-dependent areas of West Maui, face substantial economic losses that accumulate with each hour of downtime. Hotels cannot operate elevators, air conditioning, or reservation systems, while restaurants lose perishable inventory and cannot serve guests. Shops cannot process credit card transactions or maintain security systems. The economic ripple effect potentially affects thousands of employees and could impact Maui's broader economy if outages persist into the weekend.
What Customers Should Expect and How to Prepare
Hawaiian Electric has established a dedicated webpage explaining the step-by-step restoration process following a PSPS event, which includes seven distinct phases from weather monitoring to final restoration. The utility stresses that customer safety and wildfire prevention remain the top priorities, and restoration will not be rushed at the expense of these concerns, regardless of political or economic pressure.
Residents should prepare for the possibility of extended outages by taking several proactive steps. Emergency supplies should include non-perishable food, water (one gallon per person per day), flashlights with extra batteries, battery-powered radios, and first aid kits. Those with medical needs requiring electricity should have backup power sources or make arrangements to stay with friends or family in unaffected areas. Staying informed through official channels, including the utility's website, social media, and local emergency alert systems, is crucial for receiving timely updates.
Critical safety reminders include never touching downed power lines, which should be reported immediately to 911 and Hawaiian Electric, and avoiding the use of generators indoors due to carbon monoxide risks. Residents should also check on elderly or vulnerable neighbors who may need assistance during the outage.
Looking Ahead: A New Normal for Utility Operations
This event underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing reliable electricity service with wildfire prevention in an era of climate change and increasingly extreme weather patterns. As fire seasons grow longer and more intense, and as extreme wind events become more frequent, utilities across Hawaii and beyond must adapt their operations to protect communities while minimizing disruption. This may require significant investment in grid hardening, undergrounding critical lines, and improving weather forecasting capabilities.
For now, Maui residents remain in a waiting pattern, dependent on Mother Nature's cooperation before normalcy can return. The utility's careful, methodological approach—while frustrating for those affected—reflects lessons learned from past tragedies and a commitment to preventing future disasters. As one Hawaiian Electric spokesperson noted, "We understand the hardship this causes, but we cannot and will not risk another Lahaina."
The coming days will test both the utility's restoration capabilities and the community's patience as Hawaii navigates this new reality of proactive power management in the face of climate-driven wildfire threats.