The Maui wildfires have now claimed the lives of at least 36 people, as three separate fires across the Hawaiian island continue to burn uncontrolled, authorities said Thursday.
“These past few days, the resolve of our families, business and visitors have been tested like never before in our lifetime,” Maui Mayor Richard Bissensaid in a statement posted to Facebook. “With lives lost and properties decimated, we are grieving with each other in this inconsolable time.”
In an update at 10:30 p.m. HST on Wednesday,the Maui Fire Departmentreported no significant changes to the three fires — located in Lahaina, Upcountry and the Pūlehu/Kīhei areas, and said that there “are no containment numbers at this time." The fire department has been dealing with multiple flare-ups.
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At first light Thursday, the fire department said it planned to conduct an assessment of the situation, adding that additional backup from Honolulu had been requested.
According tothe White House, President Joe Biden on Thursday approved a disaster declaration for Hawaii and “ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts.”
“The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Maui County,” their statement added. “Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.”
The president also discussed the catastrophic wildfires with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green on Thursday,CNNreported.
“He expressed his deep condolences for the lives lost and vast destruction of land and property,” the White House said in a statement to pool reporters, per CNN.
As first responders and local government continue to assess the unprecedented disaster, tourists are being evacuated to the island’s main airport in Kahului, via shuttle buses from West Maui, starting Thursday at 8:30 a.m. HST,according to the County of Maui.American Airlines and United Airlines are sending empty planes to the island so that they can help expedite the evacuation of visitors, the airlines said on Thursday in statements to PEOPLE.
“We’ve canceled today’s inbound flights to Kahului Airport so our planes can fly empty to Maui and be used as passenger flights back to the mainland,” United said in a statement provided to PEOPLE.
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Meanwhile, four shelters across the county are housing more than 2,100 people, and the American Red Cross has put in an urgent call for more volunteers, per Hawaii News Now.
In Lahaina, residents are continuing to process the devastation.
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“Every single person that I work with, the people that I see at the bank, the grocery store, everyone I know is now homeless,” Maui resident Dustin Kaleioputold theTodayshowon Thursday. “In 36 hours, our town has been burnt to ash. There’s nothing left.”
Officials are warning the death toll could go up, as they continue to fight the “large and fast-moving fires,” Adam Weintraub, communications director for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency,said onGood Morning Americaduring a Thursday interview.
“It’s only recently that we’ve started to get our arms around them and contain them,” Weintraub said. “So, we’re hoping for the best, but we’re prepared for the worst.”
source: people.com
