Major General Kenneth S. Hara and Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke at a press conference concerning the recent fires, photo courtesy State of Hawaiʻi

(BIVN) – President Biden has declared a major disaster following the devastating wildfires in Hawaiʻi. As of Thursday morning, the number of people killed in the Maui fire was at 36. That number could increase as more deaths are confirmed.

“This is a tragic day for everyone in Hawai‘i and the nation,” said Governor Josh Green. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and the survivors suffering through the deadliest natural disaster the state has seen in generations.”

“In the coming days — as more and more details emerge — I ask that we as a state provide all the emotional and financial support we can to the people of Lāhainā and Maui,” Governor Green continued. “As governor of the State of Hawai‘i, I pledge to spare no resources to combat the destructive wildfires, shelter the displaced, treat and bring comfort to the traumatized, support our first responders, restore communication lines and enlist the aid of our federal and county partners to confront this this once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe,” he said.

“Recovering from these devastating fires will take significant time and resources, and we need all the federal support we can get,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D, Hawaiʻi). “I thank the Biden Administration for moving fast to approve this disaster declaration. It will unlock federal resources and help our state and county governments respond to and recover from these fires and help the people of Maui and Hawai‘i Island.”

From the White House:

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Hawaii and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires beginning on August 8, 2023, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Maui County.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency protective measures in Maui County, and assistance for emergency protective measures for Hawaii County.

Lastly, Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Mr. Maona N. Ngwira of FEMA has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Damage assessments are continuing, and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.