Maui Residents Allege Developer Exploited Fire Incident

Residents of Maui are rallying behind Kaleo Manuel, a top water official who was reassigned after wildfires devastated the area, claiming he is being scapegoated. A land developer accused the water commission, of which Manuel was a member, of delaying additional water resources during the fires. However, Manuel's advocates question the accuracy of the claim and the motives behind it. Native Hawaiians, including taro farmers, are demanding Manuel's reinstatement, arguing that the developer is using the fires as an excuse to tap into their streams. The cascade of decisions and statements from government officials has alarmed and angered farmers and activists, who contest the argument that water diversion could have helped fight the fires. Two Maui residents have sued the Commission on Water Resource Management, seeking to reverse Manuel's reassignment.