Online Public Relations Thoughts

The Hawaiian electric power company has acknowledged that its downed wires started a grassfire on Maui but it is pointing the finger of blame at the county's firefighters who declared the blaze under control and left the scene before it flared up again.  This is suspect PR and unlikely to move the needle of public empathy.  It might help in a courtroom battle between the citizens of the island and the company, but public perception won't change much.  The company is looking like an incompetent that knew high winds were a problem but did nothing about it.  It was warned and acknowledged the problem years before the wires fell.  The utility will go bankrupt under the weight of lawsuits but that won't help the grieving citizens of Maui.