Hawaii wildfires: Death toll in Maui expected to rise after deadliest wildfire in US history
As Hawaii mourns those killed in wildfires, officials warned that the full human and environmental toll was not yet known
At least 96 people have died in devastating wildfires that have destroyed the historic town of Maui in Hawaii, making it the most deadly wildfire in US history.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said the death toll is likely to grow and “none of us really know the size of it yet”, as efforts to find and identify the dead were still in their early stages.
Crews with cadaver dogs have covered only 3% of the search area, he said, adding: “We’ve got an area that we have to contain that is at least five square miles and it is full of our loved ones."
Two fires have not yet been completely contained, including the one that razed the centuries-old town of Lahaina.
Pelletier spoke as emergency workers picked through the debris left in the wake of the Lahaina fire.
ITV News correspondent Peter Smith reports from the devastated community of Kula, on the island of Maui
Teams marked the ruins of homes with a bright orange X to record an initial search, and HR when they found human remains.
Dogs worked through the rubble, and their occasional bark - used to alert their handlers to a possible corpse - echoed over the hot and colourless landscape.
Governor Josh Green told CBS Mornings: “We are prepared for many tragic stories."
"They will find 10 to 20 people per day, probably, until they finish. And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really.”
As mobile phone service has slowly been restored, Green had said that the number of people missing dropped to about 1,300 from over 2,000.
The Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu celebrated Mass on Sunday at a church in Kapalua - just up the road from fire-ravaged Lahaina - and urged those reeling from the wildfire not to give up hope.
During the Mass, Silva read a message from Pope Francis that he was praying for those who lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods - as well as for first responders.
The Lahaina church survived the fire even though the adjoining Catholic school burned.
Administrators are exploring potentially holding classes for the 200 students in hotel ballrooms and conference rooms.
Hawaii officials have urged tourists to avoid traveling to Maui as many hotels prepared to house evacuees and first responders.
Maui water officials warned Lahaina and Kula residents not to drink running water, which may be contaminated even after boiling, and to only take short, lukewarm showers in well-ventilated rooms to avoid possible chemical vapour exposure.
About 46,000 residents and visitors have flown out of Kahului Airport in West Maui since the devastation in Lahaina became clear on Wednesday, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Hawaii officials urged tourists to avoid traveling to Maui as many hotels prepared to house evacuees and first responders.
Governor Josh Green said 500 hotel rooms will be made available for locals who have been displaced.
An additional 500 rooms will be set aside for workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some hotels will carry on with normal business to help preserve jobs and sustain the local economy, Green said.
The state wants to work with Airbnb to make sure that rental homes can be made available for locals.
Green hopes the company will be able to provide three to nine-month rentals for those who have lost homes.
“There’s very little left there,” Green said, holding up a map of the area titled “Buildings Damaged in Maui Wildfires Lahaina Area.”
More than 2,700 structures were destroyed in Lahaina and “an estimated value of $5.6 billion (£4.4 billion) has gone away.”
But mostly there are people suffering and the government is continuing to work to find them, he said in a video statement.
“I will tell you this, as a physician, it is a harrowing sight in Maui,” Green said.
“When those providers, the police and this division, do come across scenes in houses or businesses it is very difficult for them because they know, ultimately, they will be sharing with our people that there have been more fatalities. I do expect the numbers to rise.”
American broadcaster Oprah Winfrey, who is also a part-time Maui resident, visited an emergency shelter on the island to highlight the plight of evacuees.
She said she has delivered personal hygiene products, towels and water in recent days.
Hawaii News Now reports that Winfrey said on her visit on Sunday that it’s critical that aid gets to residents fast.
Winfrey warned that news crews will eventually depart from the destruction, while the world will move on. But she said that “we’re all still going to be here trying to figure out what is the best way to rebuild … I will be here for the long haul, doing what I can.”
British rock star Mick Fleetwood, who has lived on Maui for several decades, has said the wildfires have left "complete devastation" in the town of Lahaina, as well as destroying his restaurant Fleetwood's On Front Street.
"On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of Maui," he said in a statement.
"We are committed to supporting the community and those affected by this disaster in the days and months and years to come."
Meanwhile, US actor Dwayne Johnson also sent a message amid the wildfires in Hawaii.
In a video posted on Instagram, the 51-year-old, who voiced the character of demigod Maui in Disney film Moana, said: “I know that by now all of you around the world have seen the complete destruction and devastation that has hit our Hawaiian islands – our island of Maui.
“And I’m completely heartbroken over this and I know all of you are too.
“Everything that I’ve seen transpire over these past couple of days, everything that continues to transpire hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute, it’s all heart-breaking.”
The actor said he had been speaking with organisations on the ground and will continue to get as much information as possible, as “there’s so many needs” to meet.
He captioned the post: “Heartbroken but our faith and mana is strong.”
How you can help
As of Monday, GoFundMe said it had collected more than $13 million for those impacted by the Maui wildfires, from more than 100,000 people across all 50 US states and 100 countries.
But Hawaiian officials have warned donors not to give money to people urging donations quickly and by cash, gift card or on Cash App or Venmo.
Experts say immediate donations may not be the most useful following a natural disaster like the Maui wildfires.
They suggest standing by a week or two until needs are assessed and support lines have been established.
Here are some charities which you can donate to
The cause of the wildfires is under investigation, and Green said authorities would also examine their response. One fire, for instance, was thought to be out but later flared again.
In the hours before a wildfire engulfed the town of Lahaina, Maui County officials failed to activate sirens that would have warned the entire population and instead relied on social media posts. Power and phone outages further complicated communication efforts.
The fires are Hawaii’s deadliest natural disaster in decades, surpassing a 1960 tsunami that killed 61 people.
They also surpassed the 2018 Camp Fire in northern California that left 85 dead and destroyed the town of Paradise.
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