An aerial view of a wildfire in Kihei, Maui County, Hawaii, U.S., August 8, 2023 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video.
Clint Hansen Of Maui Real Estate | Via Reuters
President Joe Biden has pledged immediate assistance to the residents of Maui who have suffered the loss of loved ones and homes due to devastating wildfires, which have claimed at least 36 lives.
After the wildfires rapidly spread across parts of Maui, Biden declared a major disaster in Hawaii. The historic city of Lahaina, once the capital of the independent kingdom of Hawaii, has been severely affected.
During his remarks in Utah, the president stated, “We have just approved a major disaster declaration for Hawaii which will get aid into the hands of the people desperately, desperately needing help now.”
Biden assured that immediate assistance would be provided to those who have lost loved ones or had their homes damaged or destroyed. He confirmed that he had spoken with Hawaii Governor Josh Green in the morning and promised to offer whatever federal assistance the state requires to recover from the fires.
The president also directed FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to expedite requests for federal aid to survivors. Criswell will be traveling to Maui on Friday.
The disaster declaration issued by President Biden will allocate funds to assist with temporary housing, home repairs, and uninsured property losses.
This graphic displays the location of fires on the island of Maui, Hawaii, as of Thursday, August 10, 2023. The Lahaina fire has caused multiple casualties and significant damage to parts of the centuries-old town.
AP
President Biden has deployed military personnel to the island to help combat the blaze and evacuate people to safety. The Navy’s Third Fleet, the Army, and the U.S. Coast Guard are being mobilized to assist local emergency response teams. Additionally, the Marines are contributing Black Hawk helicopters to aid in firefighting efforts.
“We’re working as quickly as possible,” stated the president. “We will battle these fires and evacuate residents and tourists. In the meantime, our prayers go out to the people of Hawaii. But it’s not just prayers, we are making all our available resources accessible to them.”
As of Thursday morning, there were still six active fires burning on Maui and the island of Hawaii, according to a state emergency management official. Over 2,000 acres have been scorched by the fires.
During a briefing on Thursday, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, announced that a U.S. Coast Guard boat and helicopter crew had rescued 14 individuals who had sought refuge in the ocean to escape the fires and smoke. Ryder also stated that the National Guard had activated 134 personnel to assist with wildfire response, and the Army, Navy, and National Guard had deployed helicopters to aid in firefighting and search and recovery operations.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is working with commercial airlines to facilitate the evacuation of tourists from Maui. United Airlines has canceled passenger flights into Kahului Airport on Maui, using empty planes instead to evacuate passengers back to the mainland United States.
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