The wind advisory canceled for Big Island summits Friday was lifted after forecasters in Honolulu said winds had dropped below advisory levels.
While conditions have improved at the highest elevations, Hawaiian Electric said it is still monitoring wildfire risk in parts of Maui and Hawaiʻi Island and that public safety power shutoffs remain possible if conditions worsen.
Areas of focus include West Maui, Ōmaʻopio and the Pūlehu and Māʻalaea corridor in Central Maui, along with South Kohala on Hawaiʻi Island, according to the utility. In a Saturday morning update, Hawaiian Electric urged customers in communities with elevated wildfire exposure to review emergency plans and be prepared for potential extended outages.
Decisions on public safety power shutoffs can change quickly with weather shifts, especially when a wind advisory is in effect or conditions are rapidly changing.
Wind advisory canceled and PSPS criteria
Hawaiian Electric evaluates conditions using weather stations and cameras near its equipment in high-risk corridors, noting that gusts at higher elevations can exceed those in nearby neighborhoods.
Criteria used to determine a shutoff include:
- Persistent drought conditions.
- Wind gusts 45 mph and higher.
- Relative humidity below 45%.
Public safety power shutoff process
- If power is turned off, it will remain off while hazardous weather persists.
- After conditions improve, crews must inspect lines and repair any damage before restoring service. This can include ground patrols and aerial inspections by helicopter or drone.
- Outages could last several hours or, depending on the location and damage, even days.
How to stay informed
Hawaiian Electric said it will share frequent updates through local media and the following resources:
- Hawaiian Electric website: hawaiianelectric.com
- X: @HwnElectric; @hielectriclight
- Facebook: facebook.com/HawaiianElectric
- Mobile app: available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
- Customers can also sign up for emergency outage alerts.
- For statewide weather and hazard updates, customers can monitor forecasts from the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
