Aug. 12 (UPI) — The death toll from ongoing wildfires that have swept through the Hawaii island of Maui climbed to 80 on Saturday as firefighters continued to battle flare-ups in the devastated city of Lahaina.
The new death toll was released by Maui County authorities late Friday amid efforts by emergency personnel to contain fires in Lahaina, Pulehu/Kihei and Upcountry Maui.
The burned-out historic section of Lahaina remained barricaded on Saturday and officials warned that toxic particles from still-smoldering areas made it too dangerous for residents to return to inspect that damage, even while wearing masks and gloves.
Officials initially opened the Honoapiilani Highway on Friday to allow residents to return for the first time since the wildfires struck on Tuesday, but then quickly closed it again as a “near riot” broke out over access to the closed areas, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
Volunteers distributed food, water, toiletries, canned goods, diapers, baby formula, clothing and pet food to fire victims at a pair of nearby shopping malls as social workers prepared to meet with victims at the Kahului Community Center to relay information about loved ones who are unaccounted for.
The number of people missing in the disaster remained unknown on Saturday while more than 1,400 people were being housed at emergency evacuation shelters on the island.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a public health emergency for the state of Hawaii to address the health impacts of the wildfires, following President Joe Biden‘s major disaster declaration.
The HHS declaration allows the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ healthcare providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
“We will do all we can to assist Hawaii officials with responding to the health impacts of the wildfires,” Becerra said in a statement. “We are working closely with state and local health authorities, as well as our partners across the federal government, and stand ready to provide additional public health and medical support.”
Biden’s declaration makes available federal resources that will include individual FEMA grants, rental aid support and support for small businesses.
Lahaina, located along the western shore of Maui, is a burnt husk of its former self as observers reckoned it will likely be considered the worst natural disaster in the state’s history.
“It’s all gone,” said Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen, referring to the core of the city. “None of it’s there. It’s all burnt to the ground.”
When asked to elaborate on the extent of the damage, Police Chief John Pelletier said it’s going to to take time to get numbers, but it’s “all gone.”
“When the mayor said it’s all gone, it’s all gone. It’s all gone. It’s gone,” he said.
The first fire ignited on Maui early Tuesday. At 11 a.m., the second fire in Lahaina began. About an hour later, the third fire ignited in Kula with a fourth starting in the central valley about 6 p.m. The fires have forced thousands to evacuate.
Hundreds of homes in Lahaina have been destroyed, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said, explaining it is going to take “a great deal of time” to recover.
“All of those buildings, virtually, are going to have to be rebuilt,” he said. “It’s going to be a new Lahaina that Maui builds in its own image.”
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz explained that the task ahead of them is not being underestimated.
“This is going to be a long period of recovery,” he said. “But we will rebuild.”
CBC News reports that Hawaii emergency management records showed that warning sirens were not triggered. In lieu of the warning sirens, officials sent alerts via mobile phones, but power and service outages may have diminished their effectiveness.
On Friday, Maui Mayor Richard Bisson told NBC’s Today Show, “I can’t comment on whether or not the sirens sounded or not, but I know the fires came up so quickly and they spread so fast. There were some initially, when there was a smaller fire, homes were evacuated.”
Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez said Friday she will conduct a formal review of the decision-making and policies “leading up to, during and after” the Maui wildfires.
“The Department of the Attorney General shares the grief felt by all in Hawaii, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy,” she said in a statement.
“My department is committed to understanding the decisions that were made before and during the wildfires and to sharing with the public the results of this review. As we continue to support all aspects of the ongoing relief effort, now is the time to begin this process of understanding.”
