LIVE Hawaii officials are giving updates on response to MauiFires
Crews in west Maui are doing the devastating work of sifting through the ashes of incinerated homes and beloved landmarks as the death toll from the deadliest US wildfire in more than 100 years is still rising.
One of the victims was identified Monday as Franklin "Frankie" Trejos, 68, who died while trying to help others and save his home. Another was identified by her family as Carole Hartley, 60, a long-time Maui resident who died while trying to evacuate. Hawaii's emergency management agency reported last year the risk posed by wildfires to human life was low. Officials underestimated the deadly threat of wildfires even as they acknowledged a lack of necessary resources to mitigate them, records show.
Firefighters have made progress against the three largest wildfires, but the deadly fire in hard-hit Lahaina, covering more than 2,000 acres, was only 85% contained by Sunday afternoon.As searches of the burned ruins continue, officials said they don't know exactly how many people are still unaccounted for. It's unclear how many of those still missing simply have not yet been able to communicate with their loved ones or the authorities.
"The remains we're finding is through a fire that melted metal. We have to do rapid DNA to identify everyone," Pelletier said. "Thousands of people are experiencing the worst moment of their lives right now, so receiving a text was a small gesture, but a huge blessing for my entire family," Talley said.
Trejos, a Costa Rica native who moved to the United States at a young age, had lived in Lahaina for the last 30 years, according to his niece. She urged people to give the community time to heal before traveling into affected areas. "I know a lot of people eager to get back into Lahaina and see what's left, but give our first responders time," she said.
"There were multiple fires at the same time, and the circumstance was greatly complicated also by the heat and the speed with which the fire spread, destroying a great deal of infrastructure," Green said Saturday when asked about why sirens weren't activated. "By failing to shut off the power during these dangerous fire conditions, Defendants caused loss of life, serious injuries, destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses, displacement of thousands of people, and damage to many of Hawai'i's historic and cultural sites," says the complaint filed Saturday against Hawaiian Electric Industries and three subsidiaries, including the power servicing Maui.
"Our immediate focus is on supporting emergency response efforts on Maui and restoring power for our customers and communities as quickly as possible. At this early stage, the cause of the fire has not been determined and we will work with the state and county as they conduct their review," Kelly told CNN in an email.
The flames jumped across highways and suddenly showed up in people's yards and homes. "It was a very fast-moving fire," US Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell said Saturday.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Death toll in Hawaii rises to 93 as recovery crews search burned-out homes, businessesThe governor warned the number of deaths “will continue to rise” as crews with cadaver dogs make their way into burned-out structures.
Read more »
Death toll in Hawaii rises to 93 as recovery crews search burned-out homes, businessesThe governor warned the number of deaths “will continue to rise” as crews with cadaver dogs make their way into burned-out structures.
Read more »
Hawaii fire: Death toll reaches 93 in deadliest wildfire in over 100 yearsThe death toll in Hawaii due to wildfires is continuing to climb, with Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) saying that search and recovery operations are likely to discover more remains on Maui.
Read more »
Death toll in Hawaii rises to 93 as recovery crews search burned-out homes, businessesMaui County confirmed four additional fatalities in the Lahaina wildfire on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 93. The disaster is now the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century.
Read more »
Death toll in Hawaii wildfire rises to 96 as recovery operations near one-week markBodies have been found in cars and on the road, harrowing evidence of how the inferno caught many trying to flee the flames.
Read more »