Six people have been confirmed killed in the raging wildfires that decimated entire Maui communities and all but leveled historic Lahaina town, and authorities fear that number could rise as emergency responders slowly move into fire-ravaged areas.
Meanwhile, authorities say Civil Air Patrol and Maui Fire Department flyovers conducted Wednesday show at least 271 structures were damaged or destroyed by the flames. Lahaina appears to be the hardest hit area and access to the area is still being blocked off.
At least three large fires on Maui — including the blaze in Lahaina — are still active and out of control, which means a full picture of the devastation hasn’t yet come into view.
But the early numbers underscore the scale of the disaster, one of the worst in Hawaii’s history since Hurricane Iniki flattened portions of Kauai: In addition to the six people killed and hundreds of structures damaged, at least 20 more people have sustained serious injuries.
Meanwhile, thousands are displaced, with hundreds flocking to emergency shelters and many more sleeping in their cars, including at a Walmart that opened its bathrooms to evacuees.
And Maui County’s emergency response is near a breaking point as Hawaii National Guard and federal resources begin to move in. On Wednesday afternoon, President Biden offered his condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones and offered federal support.
In Lahaina on Wednesday, firefighters continued to battle the flames as first responders and residents picked through the rubble and searched for survivors. Lahaina resident said his home was burned down, but he stayed in the town to help. “We’re gonna do our best to get past this and it’s gonna be tough,” he said. “It’s going to take years to fix. This is not even the worst of it.”
He added, “We’ve still got dead bodies floating on the seawall. They’ve been sitting there since last night. We’ve been pulling people out since last night, trying to save peoples’ lives.”
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke, who announced Tuesday night that the Hawaii National Guard had been activated, said it could take months to assess the full scope of the damage from the fires.
