For the first time ever, Hawaiian Electric (HECO) activated its new Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program on Wednesday, and was on the cusp of cutting power preemptively to West Maui communities to reduce their high exposure to wildfire risk. At the last minute, luckily, the high risk abated so the power stayed on — but consider this an important, learned protocol from the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire that leveled Lahaina.