Massive wildfires that have been raging on Maui island since Tuesday have claimed the lives of at least 53 people, according to Hawaii police. Governor Josh Green predicted that this could become the largest wildfire disaster in the history of the US state. The death toll, which initially stood at 36, rose to 53 on Thursday, as confirmed by Maui county police chief John Pelletier. When asked about the number of missing individuals, Pelletier admitted that they were uncertain.
Governor Green addressed the press on the same day, warning that more lives would be lost and emphasizing that the recovery of victims’ remains would likely take days, if not weeks. Maui county fire chief Brad Ventura stated that while the largest and deadliest blaze, the Lahaina fire, was 80% contained, firefighters were still battling to completely extinguish the flames. Additionally, Ventura described the situation as further complicated by the emergence of small fires between the larger ones.
The wildfires have caused extensive damage to the historic town of Lahaina, and Governor Green estimated the cost of rebuilding to be in the billions of dollars. He described the destruction as shocking, resembling the aftermath of a bomb explosion and fire. Furthermore, Green suggested that these wildfires would go down as the largest natural disaster in Hawaii’s history, surpassing even the deadly 1960 tsunami in terms of devastation.
In response to this crisis, US President Joe Biden signed a federal disaster declaration on Thursday, making federal funding available to those affected by the fires. More than 10,000 people have been evacuated from the affected areas since Tuesday. The flames have spread rapidly, forcing some individuals to seek refuge in the Pacific Ocean to save their lives. They were subsequently rescued by the US Coast Guard.
While wildfires are not uncommon in Hawaii during the summer, this year’s fires have been unusually severe, with hurricane winds from Hurricane Dora exacerbating the situation. The scale and impact of these wildfires highlight the urgent need for continued efforts to contain and prevent such disasters. The road to recovery for affected communities will be long and arduous, involving both financial support and emotional healing for the residents who have lost their loved ones and homes.
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