The wildfires that broke out on the island of Maui are confirmed to be the deadliest in the United States in more than 100 years. As FEMA and the governor surveyed the damage, search teams continued to scour the ruins of historic Lahaina on Sunday. NBC News’ Tom Llamas has the latest.
Officials have revised the fatality count to 93 individuals lost in the Maui wildfire, establishing it as the most lethal wildfire in contemporary United States history.
An official update from Maui County on Saturday revealed that the death toll has risen to 93, surpassing the casualties of the 2018 Camp Fire in northern California, which claimed 85 lives.
As of now, only two victims of the Maui wildfire have been positively identified.
Authorities have indicated that firefighting teams are persistently addressing flare-ups in Lahaina Town and Upcountry Maui. In the Upcountry Maui region, situated in the mountainous inland communities of Kihei in southern Maui, it was reported that three structures in Olinda and 16 structures in Kula had been obliterated.
This development follows the devastating passage of the wildfire through Maui's historic Lahaina town last week. The wildfire resulted in the destruction or damage of at least 271 structures. Notably, the Associated Press noted that the fire likely engulfed a significant portion of Front Street, a hub for restaurants, stores, and various businesses.
In response to the wildfires, Hawaii's attorney general has initiated an investigation into the overall handling of the situation. The attorney general's office has committed to conducting a thorough evaluation of the decision-making processes and established protocols both preceding and following the fires.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen likened the island's devastation to a "war zone" after personally assessing the destruction in Lahaina alongside state officials. In an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Bissen characterized the scene as comparable to a conflict-ridden zone or the aftermath of an explosion, emphasizing the extensive damage where cars lay in the streets, structures had melted to the ground, and many buildings were no longer standing.
