Watch live updates on the wildfires that have ravaged Maui in Hawaii, forcing residents to evacuate their homes and destroying a historic town. The National Weather Service blamed Hurricane Dora for the intense winds that caused damage as strong winds initially burned down power lines and grounded fire fighter helicopters.
The Mayor of Maui declares that Lahaina is not resembling his own town.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. surveyed the damage in Lahaina on Thursday and stated that it was not similar to his childhood experience.
He told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Friday that the situation was similar to something at a war zone or worse: cars in the street, doors open, and buildings completely destroyed.
Bissen, who grew up in Maui, was familiar with the character of Lahaina because his mother had been employed at the Pioneer Inn restaurant for 17 years.
“It doesn’t resemble anything that I saw as a child, you know,” he said.
On Friday, he reported that certain cadaver dogs had arrived to aid in search and rescue efforts.
POPE SENDS is involved in controversy and GOLFER raises relief money.
The people of Hawaii received a telegram from Pope Francis in which he offered his condolences for the victims, injured, and displaced caused by the wildfires.
Francis conveyed his sorrow for the destruction and expressed solidarity with all affected individuals, particularly those whose loved ones have died or are missing. The note also included prayers for emergency responders who are providing aid to the victims.
In order to assist with fire relief efforts, Collin Morikawa, a professional golfer, has committed to contributing $1,000 for every birdie he scores in the next three PGA Tour events. He mentioned that his grandparents were born in Lahaina, which is now deserted by burned-out vehicles and ashes, and there are still family members living on Maui.
DEATH TOLL UPSIDE, INCREASE.
The death count has risen to 55, as confirmed on Thursday night in Maui County.
According to a statement issued by authorities at 9:15 p.m., the number of casualties from the Lahaina, Pulehu and Upcountry fires rose two degrees.
According to the statement, the fire in Lahaina was still raging.
The search for biological weaknesses persists, prompting the prayers, support and perseverance to be emphasized.
In a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen stated that the search for victims of the fire in Lahaina is ongoing.
He urged people to return home once they have recovered their homes, provided they are unharmed. “Please allow us to complete this task accordingly.” Van Hoek, the former Navy SEAL, was quoted as saying: “It’s not an easy feat to be carried out by any body but a brave man in his 40s and 39s when I first encountered him”.
Officials have stated that search and rescue teams from California and Washington state, equipped with disaster training and experience in using dogs to locate human remains, have been sent to Maui to aid in the process.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier implored for patience, prayers, and perseverance.
He stressed the importance of acknowledging and removing loved ones from earth, while clarifying that his officers are trained to apprehend “inferior individuals” rather than extracting corpses.
The Fire Chief Brad Ventura has advised people to stay away from the burn area, which is considered hazardous due to the impact of falling telephone poles.
The chaos was exacerbated by 29 live wired power poles that were knocked down from Lahaina to Wailuku and the airport, leaving only one road open for people to flee.
Loved ones in Maui are unable to communicate with each other.
The absence of Maurice “Shadow” Buen, a retired sport fisherman aged 79, has resulted in Kimberly Buened being unable to communicate with him due to his poor vision and difficulty walking.
According to her, her father’s two friends drive him to the pharmacy and assist with mail delivery, but they are unable to return to their hometown of Lahaina.
According to Buen, there is no way for him to escape. He has exhausted his efforts by examining all the lists, social media, and monitoring people at shelters, as well as reaching out to the Red Cross.
She’s not the only one frantically searching from a distance.
Marcia Reynolds, a resident of Natick, Massachusetts, was searching for signs on handwritten shelter sign-in sheets online for her sister, Regina Campisi, who is recovering from surgery. She was found unharmed after doing so.
“She conveyed that they are all relieved to this point.”
A Family Assistance Center has been established at the Kahului Community Center by Maui officials for those who are missing. The Mau Hawaii Emergency Management Agency will be providing assistance in collecting and distributing information to help locate the missing person.
The death of the person has resulted in a total loss of 53 individuals, as reported by HAWAII’s governor.
The Associated Press was informed by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green on Thursday that 53 people had died in Maui as a result of the devastating wildfires.
“The biggest natural disaster of this era is in Hawaii, and we are saddened by the fact that there are more than 36 people who have died.”
He predicts that the number will go up as crews continue to search for survivors.
According to Green, it appears that more than 1,000 structures have been destroyed.
After walking through the town on Thursday morning with Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, Green and Bisse expressed their disbelief that Lahaina has been burned down, with only a few exceptions.
PHILANTHROPY’s expertise is to cultivate relationships with close-knit communities.
Those who wish to contribute to the relief efforts for wildfire victims on Maui should avoid it altogether, according to philanthropy experts.
Regine Webster, the vice president of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, notes that firefighters may not be aware of their complete requirements until a week after they finish their response.
She also encouraged interested donors to support local and community-knowledgeable organizations.
GoFundMe, a crowdfunding platform, is available for donations. The site examines fundraisers for lost property or injured individuals and conducts additional verification before disbursing the funds. They also deduct 2% transaction fees.
Despite being both alive and breathing, LAHAINA now seeks to leave her home.
The news surrounding the rescue efforts of emergency responders in Hawaii’s historic town of Lahaina is causing a grim scene as they battle wildfires that have affected parts of Maui this week.
Ty O’Neil, a journalist for the Associated Press, reported that during the flyby of the area on Thursday, normally vibrant communities had been reduced to gray and black. Street after street was filled with rubble and foundation, while the road was littered with burned up vehicles and an elementary school collapsed like cinder… No active flames were visible in the smoke though.
Upon arriving in Lahaina on Wednesday, Tiffany Kidder Winn observed the destruction of her gift store, Whalers Locker, and many others on Front Street. She discovered a line of burnt-out vehicles, some of which had charred bodies inside.
“She stated that it appeared they were attempting to leave while stuck in traffic,” she recounted.
Later, she witnessed a corpse resting against an ocean barrier. He had managed to cross over, but he perished before reaching the ocean while evacuating fire. She used to take breaks to allow her emotions and fear to surface.
She stated that the fire had arrived without any warning. “It’s likely that many people were unable to evacuate due to their lack of notice.”
The President, Bernie Biden, offers immediate aid for Maui and Wisconsin’s survivors.
According to the White House, President Joe Biden spoke with Gov. Green over the phone and expressed his condolences for the loss of lives and land destroyed by the wildfires.
He vowed to provide federal disaster relief to ensure that individuals who have lost loved ones or homes are immediately accessible for assistance.
Biden committed to streamlining requests for federal aid and announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was urging emergency personnel on Maui. He also directed all Coast Guard and Air Force personnel stationed on the island to collaborate with the Hawaii National Guard.
“We are sending our prayers to the people of Hawaii, and we will be utilizing all our resources to assist them,” he added.
The White House announced on Thursday that the president had given his approval to a disaster declaration for the state, which would allow for federal aid to be provided, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property damage, and various programs for Maui residents and businesses experiencing losses.
According to Hawaii Emergency Management spokesman Adam Weintraub, officials are still working to manage the fires, but they are not yet fully contained.
“We are still in the process of preserving lives, but our search and rescue teams from Maui and other agencies cannot perform their duties until the fire lines are safe.”
Chicago leaders report on fire damage in Maui as fatalities increase.
On social media, Gov. Green, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, and Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel were on a mission to assess the aftermath of the devastating wildfires in Maui on Thursday morning.
Schatz stated on Twitter’s X platform that the group would be cautious not to disrupt emergency rescue, recovery, and firefighting efforts.
Schatz stated that the wind has stopped moving and the death toll is increasing.
The wildfires that occurred on Maui this week, caused by a hurricane that passed far south of the island chain, resulted in 53 deaths and numerous injuries, according to officials.
The assessment of damage will aid Hawaii’s leaders in determining the amount of federal aid needed.
The governor of Hawaii urged the citizens of Lahaina and Maui to provide adequate emotional and financial assistance, labeling the wildfires as “the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii’s history.”
A mass evacuation was conducted in the vicinity of BURNED MAUI town.
Officials reported that a mass evacuation was being carried out on Thursday morning for visitors and residents who were stranded near an ancient town in Maui that was demolished.
The county of Maui announced on Facebook that buses were set to collect people in Kaanapali, located north of Lahaina, and transport visitors directly to Kahului Airport while also transporting residents to a shelter in central Mauile.
Ablaze: The wildfires, which occurred on Tuesday night in Lahaina and other areas of Maui, are the deadliest since the 2018 Camp Fire that claimed at least 85 lives and nearly destroyed the town of Paradise earlier this year due to strong winds from a hurricane that was moving south of the island chain.
Firefighting and emergency rescue efforts were ongoing while the main road on Maui’s western coastline, which is the only road in Lahaina that does not permit traffic, was closed.
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The story was written by Mark Thiessen of the Associated Press and contributed to by Ty O’Neil, Christopher Weber, Audrey McAvoy, Claire Rush and Jennifer Kelleher, Chris Megerian, Bobby Caina Calvan, and Caleb Jones from Concord, Massachusetts.