Marine One takes off as US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden (not pictured) arrive at Kahului Airport, in Maui, Hawaii, US, August 21, 2023.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
President Joe Biden on Monday surveyed the devastation of the wildfires in Maui aboard Marine One, flying along the coast where he observed destroyed buildings, charred trees and piles of ash left by the catastrophic blaze in the historic town. of Lahaina.
Biden accompanied Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, Federal Emergency Management Administrator Deanne Criswell, Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono as well as Rep. Jill Tokuda.
The president’s helicopter landed at an airstrip near Lahaina after a 20-minute aerial tour. Biden and the first lady survey the wildfire damage in Lahaina.
The fires, which were more than 80% contained by Sunday, have already claimed more than 110 lives and caused billions of dollars in property damage. Authorities are still racing to find and recover nearly 850 people still missing after catastrophic wildfires swept the island and burned for weeks.
The wildfires were the worst disaster in Hawaii state history and the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century.
While in Hawaii, Biden will also announce the appointment of Bob Fenton, a FEMA regional administrator, to oversee long-term federal efforts to support Maui’s recovery.
Fenton oversees the FEMA region that includes Hawaii and recently led the federal response to the 2022 monkey pox outbreak. Fenton has been in Hawaii since the wildfires began, according to the White House.
“I will do everything in my power to help Maui recover and recover from this tragedy,” Biden said in a statement Sunday before the trip. “Throughout our efforts, we are committed to respecting sacred lands, cultures, and traditions.”
Search and recovery team members examine burned buildings and vehicles after the Maui wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 18, 2023.
Yuki Iwamura | Afp | Getty Images
Biden is in regular contact with Gov. Green, a Democrat, and received regular updates from FEMA Administrator Criswell.
“I know how deep a loss affects a family and a community and I know nothing can replace the loss of life,” the president said. Biden’s first wife and infant daughter died in a car accident in 1972. His eldest son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015.
Search dogs have combed about 85% of the disaster area in Lahaina so far, according to county officials.
The FBI and the Maui Police Department have found more than 1,200 survivors, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in a video posted Sunday.
Biden declared a major disaster in Hawaii on August 10, hours after Hawaii’s governor requested the declaration, opening up federal aid for Maui.
More than 1,000 federal personnel are currently on the ground in Maui, including more than 450 search and rescue team members, according to FEMA. The White House has approved $8.2 million in assistance to more than 2,700 households so far, including $3.4 million in initial rental assistance.
An aerial view shows charred cars and houses in an area devastated by a fire on August 18, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
The fire started suddenly and spread quickly on August 8, fanned by winds from Hurricane Dora and fueled by drought conditions on Maui. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but several lawsuits have been filed against the power company Hawaiian Electricclaiming that broken power lines caused the fire.
Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez also launched a review of state and local officials’ disaster response. The Maui Emergency Management Agency did not activate sirens during the wildfires, leaving residents with little warning that the flames were spreading quickly.
Maui’s emergency management administrator, Herman Andaya, abruptly resigned last week after defending his decision not to activate the sirens.
Green, the governor, stressed that the review of local emergency response is not a criminal investigation.