The Maui wildfires have resulted in at least six deaths, displaced thousands, and overwhelmed hospitals as they spread to parts of the Hawaiian island.
In a statement during a Wednesday morning news conference, the island's mayor, Richard Bissen Jr., said that before coming to the event, he, unfortunately, confirmed that the wildfires had already caused at least six fatalities. He did not provide further details regarding the deaths but added that they are still in search and rescue mode.
Maui Wildfires
Maui County officials said more than a dozen people had been rescued from the ocean, two of whom were children. Bidden also said that the fires had prompted 13 evacuations from various neighborhoods and towns, forcing 16 road closures as officials opened five shelters to house evacuees.
The mayor said that there were roughly 2,000 people currently staying at the shelters, adding that many people have lost their homes and businesses burned down by the wildfires. According to CNN, Bissen noted that helicopters could not safely fly the day prior because of dangerously high winds on Wednesday.
Bissen argued that it would be practically impossible for authorities to estimate the extent of the damage once the fires had been put out. The blazes have already burned hundreds of acres and are still going wild.
During the news conference, the state's business, economic development, and tourism director, James Kunane Tokioka, added that local people have lost everything they have. Video footage also showed entire blocks decimated by the flames across parts of the Lahaina area.
The director of operations for the tour agency Air Maui Helicopter Tours, Richie Olsten, said they were unprepared for the devastation they saw. He said that the area looked like it was bombed in a war.
According to the Associated Press, the National Weather Service said that Hurricane Dora, on its way to the south of the island chain at a safe distance, was partly to blame for the powerful winds driving the flames in Maui.
Thousands of Evacuees
Officials used the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to accommodate up to 4,000 people displaced by the blaze. Tokioka noted that the shelter would not be just for tourists but also for residents.
The main airport on the island, Kahului Airport, was found to have sheltered 2,000 travelers who had their flights canceled or those who had recently just arrived on the island. Bissen added that the number of fatalities is expected to rise as they look for other people affected by the fires.
The blaze has also caused roughly 12,700 people to be without power in Hawaii, and authorities also said that thousands of others were experiencing mobile phone connectivity issues. Despite efforts, officials still need to be made aware of what exactly started the wildfires and argued that it was not a priority, said BBC.
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