Maui wildfires live updates: Death toll hits 99 as Hawaii governor predicts it will rise by 10 to 20 each day

Hawaii Governor Josh Green warned people that the death toll may increase by 10 to 20 people per day as officials continue to search for survivors and victims.

“We are prepared for many tragic stories,” Mr Green told CBS on Monday.“They will find 10 to 20 people per day, probably, until they finish. And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really.”

Firefighters in Maui are working around the clock to try and contain the flare-ups as local authorities work with federal agencies to identify people who died in the devastating fires.

So far, 99 people have died, making the wildfires the deadliest in US modern history.

Most of those victims have not been identified due to the state of their bodies after the blaze. Maui police chief John Pelletier urged residents with missing family members to submit their DNA to help with identification.

The harsh conditions have made search and recovery difficult. Cadaver dogs have only probed approximately 3 per cent of the search area, they are expected to continue their efforts this week.

Key points

• Hawaii wildfires become worst in modern US history

• Oprah Winfrey camera crew turned away from shelter

• Hawaii fires map: Before and after

• Police chief asks people with missing family members to do DNA test

White House defends Hawaii wildfire response saying President Biden is ‘deeply concerned’

04:00 , Ariana Baio

The White House defended President Joe Biden’s federal response to the devastating wildfires in Hawaii on Monday saying the president is “deeply concerned” and sending federal aid.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre spent the first half of Monday’s press briefing focusing on Mr Biden’s federal action to assist officials and residents in Maui.

“You’ve heard from [Mr Biden] already on Thursday, certainly you’ll hear from him continuously this week,” Ms Jean-Pierre said. “Look, this is something that the President is clearly deeply concerned about.”

Ariana Baio reports:

White House defends Hawaii fire response saying President Biden is ‘deeply concerned’

More than 500 hotel rooms available to displaced residents

03:00 , Ariana Baio

Hawaii governor Josh Green said that more than 500 hotel rooms were arranged for people who lose their homes in the wildfires.

This is temporary housing that will allow people shelter while they figure out a more permanent living situation.

Lauren Boebert slammed for attacking Biden over Maui wildfires

02:00 , Ariana Baio

Lauren Boebert has been slammed after she criticised President Joe Biden for his handling of the Maui wildfires.

“There is a total crisis in Maui,” she wrote on social media on Sunday afternoon. “3000 destroyed homes. 80 people dead. Where’s Joe Biden? On vacation of course. There is no bottom for this president.”

Mr Biden was at his Delaware beach house for the weekend after having approved a major disaster declaration on Thursday. He said, “Every asset that we have will be available to” those affected in Hawaii.

Mr Biden added that the declaration will help to “get aid into the hands of people who desperately need help”.

Gustaf Kilander reports:

Lauren Boebert slammed for attacking Biden over Maui wildfires

Maui residents had just minutes to flee from wildfires. Now they’re desperately searching for pets left behind

01:00 , Megan Sheets

When wildfires swept through Lahaina without warning last Tuesday, residents were forced to grab what they could and flee.

At least 99 residents have been killed, more than 2,000 buildings were destroyed, and an estimated 1,000 people remain unaccounted for.

Hundreds of families who escaped the inferno have begun the desperate task of searching for pets that were left behind in the chaos.

Facebook groups have been inundated with photos of cats, dogs, rabbits, horses and exotic birds, and many remain missing nearly one week on from the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century.

“I am absolutely heartbroken,” one pet owner wrote on the Lost & Found Animals of Maui Fires group along with photos of her cats Lily Jupiter, Puma and Tiger.

Bevan Hurley reports:

Maui residents desperately search for pets left behind as wildfires swept in

Death toll reaches 99

Tuesday 15 August 2023 00:00 , Megan Sheets

The death toll from the Hawaii wildfires has risen to 99, up three from this morning.

The latest update on Monday afternoon comes hours after Hawaii Governor Josh Green warned that the toll was likely to rise “significantly”, with some 1,000 people still missing.

Watch: Maui evacuees seek safety in hotel as fires devastate Lahaina community

Tuesday 15 August 2023 00:00 , Ariana Baio

Voices: I live on Maui and this is what we’ve lost to the wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

“It’s raining on the North Shore of Maui this morning where I live. But the rain is too late, and in the wrong place, to help the Maui Fire Department save the historic town of Lahaina.

I’m an English expat, naturalised both to the US and to the islands of Hawaii after 17 years. Maui is my home. As a resident of Maui, married into a family born and raised on the island, the loss of Lahaina’s Old Town is devastating.

First and foremost is the loss of life. Maui is a small island; everyone knows everyone, or at least knows someone who knows everyone.

We are yet to find out who has been lost, but that will filter through in the next few days on the “coconut wireless” (the Hawaii version of the grapevine). These losses will be felt locally for at least a generation, and we are praying that no one we know personally is involved.”

Rich Hill writes:

I live on Maui and this is what we’ve lost to the wildfires

Maui Police Department suspends non-essential individuals from placard program

Monday 14 August 2023 22:30 , Ariana Baio

The Maui Police Department said they would be suspending non-essential individuals and non-Maui residents from receiving placards that allow them access to distribution centers.

“Due to the overwhelming demand from non-essential individuals and non-Maui residents who have flooded the distribution areas we are suspending the placard program until further notice,” the Maui Police Department wrote.

“We will continue with essential workers and West Maui residents as before.”

The placard program allowed people access to their homes in West Maui.

Maui residents have been contacted by investors trying to buy their land

Monday 14 August 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio

The fires in Maui, Hawaii haven’t been contained yet but already residents of Lahaina are worried investors will try to capitalise on the disaster for land development.

The wildfires that ravaged Maui last week left a scar on towns like Lahaina where 80 per cent of the structures in town have been damaged or destroyed. Hawaii governor Josh Green estimated that Hawaii has lost an estimated $5.6 billion and it could cost that just to rebuild Maui.

But while thousands of people living on the islands are trying to recover and find shelter, investors see an opportunity.

In a video posted to Instagram, a member of the nonprofit organisation Kāko’o Haleakalā claimed land investors were already calling Lahaina residents who lost their homes, offering to buy their land.

“I am so frustrated with inventors and realtors calling the families who lost their home offering to buy their land,” the person in the video says.

“How dare you do that to our community right now.”

It is unclear which investors or relators the person in Kāko’o Haleakalā’s video was speaking about.

Hawaii wildfire survivors slam warning system failures as officials struggle to ID victims

Monday 14 August 2023 21:30 , Ariana Baio

Just one week ago the neighbourhoods of Maui were bustling and surrounded by colourful foliage. Now, ash and soot blanket nearly every surface, buildings and homes are destroyed, and nearly 100 people are dead.

Fast-moving wildfires hit unknowing residents in Maui and other parts of Hawaii last week leading to destruction and death.

While some people managed to escape the blazes before they engulfed towns, others had no choice but to flee to the ocean to prevent themselves from being burned.

As of early Monday morning, the death toll is at 96 people, with most of the remains being unidentifiable due to the scorching fires.

Now, as officials work to identify victims and try to find hundreds of other missing people, locals are wondering why emergency alerts were not sounded and what could have been done to lessen the damage.

Ariana Baio reports:

Hawaii fire survivors blast warning system failures and prepare to sue energy firm

Red Cross provides update on their efforts

Monday 14 August 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

The American Red Cross posted an update to their response efforts on Monday, 14 August.

The organisation said they were working 24/7 with partners to provide shelter, food and comfort for victims of the Hawaii wildfires.

“Recovering from a wildfire of this magnitude will take time and the full response community coming together to support survivors,” the Red Cross wrote.

More than 250 trained Red Cross disaster workers from across the US have flocked to Hawaii to help in relief efforts.

These trained workers are supporting emergency shelters on the islands of Maui and Ohau.

“Since the fires began, the Red Cross and partners have provided more than 3,600 overnight shelter stays for people seeking refuge in 11 emergency shelters.”

According to the organisation, more than 1300 local residents have begun training to assist in helping others.

If you are interested in volunteering, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.

60-year-old identified as wildfire victim

Monday 14 August 2023 20:30 , Ariana Baio

Carole Hartley, 60, from Grand Bay, Alabama is among the victims who perished in the Maui wildfires.

Hartley’s sister, Donna Gardner Hartley posted on Facebook that her sister’s remains were found on the property she shared with her partner, Charles Paxton.

Mr Paxton and Hartley got separated when they were trying to evacuate due to the fires.

“The winds were vicious and kept changing, [Mr Paxton] said they were inside a dark smoke felt like a tornado and they could not see nothing,” Ms Gardner Hartley wrote.

“They kept calling each other’s names. He was on one side of the house getting the truck (loaded) with critical stuff and the back of his struck blew up.”

Mr Paxton was badly burned by the fires but was found by his friends and treated for his injuries.

White House defends Hawaii wildfire response saying President Biden is ‘deeply concerned’

Monday 14 August 2023 20:00 , Ariana Baio

The White House defended President Joe Biden’s federal response to the devastating wildfires in Hawaii on Monday saying the president is “deeply concerned” and sending federal aid.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre spent the first half of Monday’s press briefing focusing on Mr Biden’s federal action to assist officials and residents in Maui.

“You’ve heard from [Mr Biden] already on Thursday, certainly you’ll hear from him continuously this week,” Ms Jean-Pierre said. “Look, this is something that the President is clearly deeply concerned about.”

Ms Jean-Pierre’s statement was in defence of Mr Biden who has faced criticism for what some believe to be an emotionally indifferent approach to addressing the fires.

Despite declaring the fires to be a major disaster last week, Mr Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris have plans to visit Hawaii which has led to critique.

Cell phone service returns to Maui

Monday 14 August 2023 19:30 , Ariana Baio

Several cellphone service companies have restored service to parts of Maui after the wildfires caused widespread outages and power outages.

T-Mobile told CNN on Monday they successfully stationed generators to some cell phone towers and was using portable cell service terminals to provide power in areas where fiber connections were destroyed.

AT&T said in a press release that it has restored service in north Ka’anapali and is using portable satellites as well as operating drones over impacted areas.

Verizon said it restored cell service towers along Hawaii Route 37 over the weekend and is using satellite-based mobile hotspots at evacuation sites.

Watch: White House gives update on Hawaii wildfire as death toll rises to 96 people

Monday 14 August 2023 19:07 , Ariana Baio

Live: White House gives update on Hawaii wildfire as death toll rises to 96 people

Did Hawaii officials botch the response to Maui wildfires?

Monday 14 August 2023 19:00 , Ariana Baio

As responders battle to bring blaze under control and recovery efforts continue, questions begin to be asked about why alarm systems failed to sound and expert warnings were ignored

Joe Sommerlad reports:

Did Hawaii officials botch the response to Maui wildfires?

Lawsuit filed against Hawaiian Electric

Monday 14 August 2023 18:40 , Ariana Baio

Three law firms have filed a class-action lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric – the company that supplies the islands with 95 per cent of its electricity, claiming the company “inexcusable kept their power lines energised during forecasted high fire danger conditions.”

The lawsuit, obtained by Spectrum News, alleges that several branches of the energy company in Hawaii and Maui did not take proper action when the NWS issued the fire danger warning. De-energising power lines is common practice in the Western United States when high wildfire warnings are issued.

“There was absolutely knowledge within the state and within the electric industry that fire was a huge, huge concern on the island of Maui, and even more so than any of the other islands,” the complaint says.

In a statement provided to The Independent, Hawaiian Electric said, “As has always been our policy, we don’t comment on pending litigation. 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.”

Hawaii Senator supports attorney general investigation

Monday 14 August 2023 18:15 , Ariana Baio

Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono said she plans to support the investigation into Hawaii officials’ response to the wildfires and how their actions could have made the disaster worse.

“I’m not going to make any excuses for this tragedy, but the attorney general has launched a review of what happened with those sirens and some of the other actions that were taken,” Ms Hirono said to CNN on Sunday.

Many residents of Maui said they were not given any warning that wildfires were rapidly approaching neighbourhoods, leaving very little time for evacuation.

Ms Hirono said investigations will occur but at this time they’re focusing on recovery and relief.

“We’re going to need to provide a lot of support. That is why I’m asking for and I expect to receive bipartisan support for additional funds that will enable us to recover,” Ms Hirono said.

Watch: Hawaii governor Josh Green says they suffered $5.6bn losses In ‘harrowing’ wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 17:45 , Ariana Baio

Police chief asks people with missing family members to do DNA test

Monday 14 August 2023 17:30 , Ariana Baio

In a press conference on Sunday, Maui police chief John Pelletier urged those with missing family members to submit their DNA so they can identify remains.

“If you’ve got missing family members, go to the FAC (Family Assistance Center), we need you do to the DNA test, we need to identify your loved ones,” Mr Pelletier said.

Cadaver dogs have only searched approximately 3 per cent of the search area in which authorities have found the remains of 96 people thus far.

That number is expected to rise as dogs search more of the area.

But due to the scorching wildfire, officials are having a difficult time identifying the deceased. Mr Pelletier described picking up remains that “fall apart.”

Family of four identified as some of first victims of Maui wildfires after they tried to escape blaze in car

Monday 14 August 2023 17:00 , Ariana Baio

A family of four who died in the Maui wildfires after getting trapped in their car while trying to flee from Lahaina have now been identified.

The bodies of Salote Takafua, her son Tony Takafua and parents Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone were found inside a burned-out car near their home on Thursday, according to Hawaii News Now.

In a statement, the family said: “The magnitude of our grief is indescribable, and their memories will forever remain etched in our hearts.”

Bevan Hurley reports:

Family of four identified as some of first victims of Maui wildfires

19 homes destroyed in Upcountry/Kula fire

Monday 14 August 2023 16:30 , Ariana Baio

The wildfire that began on 8 August in Upcountry / Kula has destroyed 19 homes and burned an estimated 678 acres, officials in Maui said.

So far, firefighters have contained approximately 60 per cent of the fire saying that hot spots in gulches and other hard-to-reach areas have been it difficult to contain the fire.

Air support to hit hot spots is expected to assist beginning Monday morning.

Officials in Maui said the wildfire caused damage to many homes and completely destroyed 19 homes in total. Sixteen of those homes were “levelled” in Kula and three others were destroyed in Olinda.

In Photos: Volunteers gather supplies for Maui residents

Monday 14 August 2023 16:00 , Ariana Baio

Video shows Oprah handing out supplies in shelter

Monday 14 August 2023 15:30 , Ariana Baio

Lahaina fire is 85 per cent contained

Monday 14 August 2023 15:00 , Ariana Baio

The fire in Lahaina is approximately 85 per cent contained, officials in Maui said in an update on Sunday evening.

The fire, which is one of the deadliest in Hawaii’s history, destroyed much of the historic town last week.

Officials said an estimated 2,170 acres have been burned so far and firefighters are still working to contain flareups.

‘There are no active threats at this time,” officials said.

String of minor earthquakes shake Hawaii island

Monday 14 August 2023 14:30 , Ariana Baio

Two minor earthquakes shook Hawaii Island near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Sunday.

According to the US Geological Survey, two magnitude 2.6 earthquake occurred at 12.47pm.It was centered 5.3 miles west-northwest of Volcano town at a one mile depth, Hawaii News Now reported.

A second earthquake of magnitude 4.3 occurred at 1.36 pm 5 miles south-southest of Volcano within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.USGS seismologists said the stronger quake was also much deeper, with its epicentre 15.5 miles down.

Earlier USGS data indicated three quakes. However, the second and third quakes were recorded five seconds apart, and are now regarded as the same earthquake, it was reported.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says there is no danger of a tsunami.

King and Queen ‘utterly horrified’ by Hawaii wildfires, letter to Joe Biden says

Monday 14 August 2023 14:10 , Ariana Baio

The King has written a letter to US President Joe Biden saying he and the Queen were “utterly horrified” to hear about the “catastrophic” wildfires in Hawaii.

Charles and Camilla sent their “deepest possible sympathy” to the families of people who have died in the blazes on the island of Maui.

At least 93 people are confirmed to have died.

The letter from the King read: “My wife and I were utterly horrified to hear of the catastrophic wildfires currently burning in Maui, Hawaii.

“We can only begin to imagine the scale of the devastation engulfing the island, and the heartrending anguish of those whose livelihoods have been so disastrously affected.

King and Queen ‘utterly horrified’ by Hawaii wildfires, letter to Joe Biden says

Residents of Maui warned of unsafe drinking water

Monday 14 August 2023 13:40 , Ariana Baio

In a post on Facebook, the County of Maui warned residents in the areas of Lahaina and Upper Kula had unsafe drinking water at the moment and urged people not to use it.

“Bottled water should be used for all drinking, brushing teeth, ice making and food preparation until further notice. Residents are unable to treat the water in any way to make it safe,” the post reads.

The county has outfitted water buffalo tankers and drinkable water stations in several locations in Upcountry and West Maui.

WATCH: Mick Fleetwood says he’s ‘really lucky’ he only lost restaurant in Hawaii wildfire

Monday 14 August 2023 12:30 , Rachel Sharp

How to help victims of Hawaii wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 12:15 , Rachel Sharp

Thousands of Hawaii citizens have been displaced following wildfires that devastated the historic town of Lahaina in Maui.

Multiple neighbourhoods were burned as the fires were fueled by heavy winds blowing from Hurricane Dora, resulting in many being told to evacuate, with some Hawaii residents taking refuge in the ocean to avoid the flames. Many have lost their lives and thousands have been evacuated as a result of the wildfires.

Hawaii’s governor Josh Green has estimated that billions of dollars will be needed to fully recover, as the US Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department reported that approximately 271 structures were damaged or destroyed by the fires.

Read more here:

How to help victims of Hawaii wildfires

WATCH: Moment Hawaiian TV reporter reveals he's lost four family members in Lahaina wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 12:00 , Rachel Sharp

Watch: Lahaina residents inspect remains of homes after devastating Maui wildfire

Monday 14 August 2023 11:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Heartbreaking moment Hawaiian broadcaster reveals on air he lost four family members to Maui wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 11:00 , Rachel Sharp

A heartbreaking moment unfolded live on air when a Hawaiian broadcaster revealed that he has lost four family members to the devastating Maui wildfires – with at least one other relative still unaccounted for.

Jonathan Masaki Shiroma is a Maui native who now works as a broadcaster for Hawaiian News Now.

He told Live Now Fox that it was a “gut punch” to learn that his loved ones were among the 96 so far killed as they tried to flee the deadly blazes that have ravaged the Hawaiian island over the last week.

“It’s like a gut punch, you hear the words of devastation and then you realise that the home town as a child [where you were] playing in the cane fields and near what was the Pioneer Mill and then hearing that family members lost their lives as they tried to leave the field plains that just engulfed so quickly, and then one still remains missing,” he said.

“It just becomes so personal.”

Read more here:

Hawaiian broadcaster reveals on air he lost four family members to Maui wildfires

Families and faith leaders cling to hope but tackle reality of loss, as Maui rescue continues

Monday 14 August 2023 11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

For scores of families in Hawaii still hoping to reunite with loved ones, it was not yet time to give up — even as the staggering death toll continued to grow, and even as authorities predicted that more remains would be found within the ashes left behind by a wildfire that gutted the once-bustling town of Lahaina.

But many others are already confronting a painful reality. Their loved ones did not make it out alive.

Read more...

As Maui rescue continues, families and faith leaders cling to hope but tackle reality of loss

WATCH: Dwayne Johnson reveals ‘heartbreak’ of devastating Hawaii wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 10:30 , Rachel Sharp

Death toll climbs to 96 victims

Monday 14 August 2023 09:57 , Rachel Sharp

The death toll from the Hawaiian wildfires has now risen to 96, after another three victims were found among the ruins on Monday.

Maui Police Department confirmed the update at around 9pm local time.

It is already the deadliest wildfire in US modern history and the death toll is expected to climb further as hundreds remain missing and the search has been challenging.

Crews with cadaver dogs had managed to cover just three per cent of the search area as of Saturday.

Oprah Winfrey’s camera crew was turned away from emergency shelter

Monday 14 August 2023 09:45 , Rachel Sharp

Oprah Winfrey’s camera crew was turned away from an emergency shelter in Maui over the weekend as the TV star dropped by to hand out supplies to survivors.

The TV host, who has a home on the island, visited residents at War Memorial Complex in Maui on Sunday accompanied by a camera crew.

Maui County officials said in a Facebook post that she was able to enter the shelter and hand out items without the cameras in tow.

“Oprah was able to visit our shelter and we thank her for instructing media journalists and camera crews to remain outside,” said the County of Maui.

“We welcome Oprah to continue to uplift our community’s spirit and give her aloha to victims of the tragic disaster.

“Her visit inside of the shelter today was truly heartwarming and we appreciate her understanding of our policy of having no camera crews or reporters accompanying dignitaries and celebrities in our emergency shelters.”

Oprah paid the shelter a visit earlier in the week – a visit which was captured on camera that time.

“It’s a little overwhelming, you know,” she told the BBC during that visit.

“But I’m really so pleased to have so many people, you know, supporting, and people are just bringing what they can and doing what they can.”

Here’s video of that first visit below:

Residents claim people being ‘robbed at gunpoint’ in Maui amid ‘lack of leadership’

Monday 14 August 2023 09:30 , Rachel Sharp

Local residents in Hawaii’s Maui are claiming they are being looted and robbed at gunpoint after catastrophic fires ravaged parts of the island.

The wildfires in Maui have become the deadliest in modern US history and have so far led to the deaths of 93 people, apart from widespread devastation of property.

And now locals have said they are growing increasingly desperate for effective local leadership to step up and take control of the emergency response amid accusations of an increase in crime.

Read the full story:

Residents claim people being ‘robbed at gunpoint’ in Maui amid ‘lack of leadership’

Survivor recalls unprecedented blaze consuming ‘every house, every tree, every single thing’

Monday 14 August 2023 09:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

A survivor recounted to the Red Cross that initially, they believed that only a small number of buildings were engulfed in flames when the fire initially broke out.

However, as time passed and they observed the situation more closely, they realised the true magnitude of the blaze, and it became apparent that a much larger area was affected by the fire.

“Every single piece of lawn, every house, every tree, every single thing, all the way to the ocean and all the way down was on fire,” he said, according to the Red Cross.

Power restored to 60 per cent of customers, utility says

Monday 14 August 2023 08:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Hawaiian Electric utility company announced on Sunday afternoon local time that over 60 per cent of its customers who experienced a power outage since Tuesday on Maui Island have now had their electricity restored.

Hawaiian Electric’s restoration teams are actively engaged in efforts to reinstate power for the remaining 5,000 customers who are currently experiencing an electricity outage in the Upcountry and West Maui regions of the island, the statement said.

However, the company said that the figure had not been adjusted to account for structures that were damaged or destroyed in the wildfires.

The utility warned that there could still be some outages now and then and asked customers to “be mindful of their use of electricity and conserve by limiting non-essential uses”.

The Hawaii utility is being criticised for not implementing power cuts as a measure to minimize fire risks despite having received warnings.

Lahaina residents inspect remains of homes after devastating Maui wildfire

Monday 14 August 2023 07:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Survivors witnessed a surreal landscape of flattened homes, blackened hulks of burned-out cars and ashy lots where buildings once stood as they took stock of their shattered lives in the aftermath of a fast-paced wildfire on the Hawaii island of Maui that authorities say killed at least 80 people.

Residents were faced with catastrophic destruction resulting from the wildfires that tore through parts of Maui and the town of Lahaina this week.

“We lost everything, thank god we still have each other. We were all alive and safe and counted for. It’s like we are the only things we have now because everything we had in the past is gone,” one resident, Christie Gagala, said.

Lahaina residents inspect remains of homes after devastating Maui wildfire

Jason Momoa issues stern warning to holidaymakers travelling to Maui amid deadly wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 06:24 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Jason Momoa has issued a stern message to holidaymakers hoping to still travel to Maui amid the fatal wildfires.

Two days after sharing his “heartbreak” about the wildfires that have devastated the Hawaiian island, Momoa shared a post stating: “Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now. DO NOT TRAVEL TO MAUI.”

He continued: “Do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply.

“Mahalo to everyone who has donated and shown aloha to the community in this time of need.”

Jason Momoa issues stern warning to people still travelling to Maui on holiday

Conspiracy theorists are claiming a 'space laser beam' started the Hawaii wildfires

Monday 14 August 2023 06:17 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Conspiracy theorists have managed to go viral after spreading false claims that the devastating wildfires that have torn through the island of Maui in Hawaii were started by a ‘space laser.’

93 people have died as a result of the fires making it the deadliest in modern US history and destroying most of the beautiful island’s natural habitat.

Yet, whenever the climate is related to a tragic story it doesn’t take long for conspiracy theorists to try and spin the narrative to make others think what they are seeing isn’t really about the state of the planet.

Conspiracy theorists are claiming a 'space laser' started the Hawaii wildfires

String of minor earthquakes shake Hawaii island

Monday 14 August 2023 06:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Two minor earthquakes shook Hawaii Island near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Sunday.

According to the US Geological Survey, two magnitude 2.6 earthquake occurred at 12.47pm.It was centered 5.3 miles west-northwest of Volcano town at a one mile depth, Hawaii News Now reported.

A second earthquake of magnitude 4.3 occurred at 1.36 pm 5 miles south-southest of Volcano within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.USGS seismologists said the stronger quake was also much deeper, with its epicentre 15.5 miles down.

Earlier USGS data indicated three quakes. However, the second and third quakes were recorded five seconds apart, and are now regarded as the same earthquake, it was reported.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says there is no danger of a tsunami.

More bodies likely to be found in ‘worst natural disaster Hawaii ever faced’

Monday 14 August 2023 05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Expressing shock over the scale of devastation, Governor Josh Green said: “We can only wait and support those who are living. Our focus now is to reunite people when we can and get them housing and get them healthcare, and then turn to rebuilding.”

The authorities suspect that the total number of fatalities, in what is already the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, is likely to rise further in the coming days.

Maui wildfires ‘the worst natural disaster that Hawaii ever faced’

Hawaii governor Josh Green assesses severe damage in Lahaina: ‘There is very little left there’

Monday 14 August 2023 05:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Hawaii governor Josh Green recently made two visits to the heart of devastation in Lahaina, and said that “there is very little left there”.

Over 2,700 structures have been obliterated in this once-thriving tourist destination on Maui’s western edge, causing an estimated $5.6bn in damages.

In a video update released on Sunday, Mr Green expressed gratitude for the backing of president Joe Biden and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the upcoming recovery phase.

The focus now, he said is on finding “those who have perished”. The death toll, currently 93, is expected to rise, he said.

Nighttime looting plague Maui fire survivors

Monday 14 August 2023 04:37 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The people of Maui are now grappling with nighttime looting as residents are growing anxious with the local leadership’s response.

“There’s some police presence. There’s some small military presence, but at night people are being robbed at gunpoint,” Matt Robb, co-owner of a Lahaina bar called The Dirty Monkey, said.

“I mean, they’re going through houses – and then by day it’s hunky dory. So where is the support? I don’t think our government and our leaders, at this point, know how to handle this or what to do.”

“It’s just been really interesting to see how, when you have a full truck of a pallet of water or feminine products or whatever, and you’re trying to help people – that you’re being turned away,” Mr Robb said. “And I think there’s a better way to organise that to be done, I just don’t think it’s been done the correct way. I think it comes down to the lack of leadership and the lack of knowledge of how to handle this.” he was quoted as saying by Business Insider.

Hawaii fires become deadliest in modern US history as ‘grim’ search for victims continues

Monday 14 August 2023 06:14 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Hawaii Governor Josh Green gave a stark warning to the world in the aftermath of the “fire hurricane” that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina on the island of Maui.

The state’s drought conditions from climate change and difficulties with water management had combined with 60mph winds from Hurricane Dora which had just passed the island, Mr Green explained in an interview on MSNBC on Sunday.

This allowed three of four fires to seed quickly in the wind and then move at a mile-per-minute through the community obliterating everything in its path.

“That’s what a fire hurricane is going to look [like] in the era of global warming,” he warned, emphasising the need for action on climate change.

The death toll stands at 93 confirmed fatalities and is expected to rise further in what the governor described as a “war zone” and the “worst natural disaster that Hawaii ever faced”. It is already the deadliest wildfire in modern US history.

Hawaii fires deadliest in over 100 years as ‘grim’ search for victims continues

Sunday 13 August 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Scale of wildfire scarring on charred Maui land captured in aerial footage

Watch: Cadaver dogs sift through the ruins of Lahaina as the death toll continues to rise

Sunday 13 August 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell