More than 2,200 buildings have been destroyed and another 500 have been damaged at an estimated cost of nearly $6 billion.
Tragically, we have lost over one hundred lives so far, making this the deadliest fire the United States has seen in more than a century.
More than 1,000 people remain missing or unaccounted for on Maui.
We are now bringing relief and aid to those affected on a massive scale.
The Hawaii National Guard continues to assist first responders on Maui with search and rescue efforts, securing the fire-damaged areas, and assisting active-duty military under a Joint Task Force with the delivery of food, water, and medical supplies to those in need.
We have secured nearly 2,000 housing units on Maui to shelter those displaced by the fire, and we have taken emergency action to increase available funds for our response and to support healthcare facilities and providers delivering emergency care.
We have opened a Disaster Recovery Center where state and federal agencies can be located in one place to provide services to those affected, including assistance with applying for aid, filing insurance claims, replacing state identification, and accessing federal relief.
I have ordered a comprehensive assessment of every detail of our response to the fires on Maui.
We will get to the bottom of exactly how the fire started, how our emergency procedures and protocols need to be strengthened, and how we can improve our defenses to protect us in the future.
We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support and aloha the people of Maui have received from every part of our state, from across the nation, and from around world, along with innumerable offers of assistance to aid the survivors and to help rebuild Lahaina.
We are especially grateful to President Biden for his support and partnership.
From the first hours of the disaster, he offered every resource to aid our response, immediately ordering the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy 3rd Fleet to support our rescue and relief efforts, and issuing a Presidential Disaster Declaration within hours of our request.
I have invited the President and the First Lady to visit Maui next week when it can be done safely and in a way that will support our recovery efforts.
I will continue to keep you updated on our rescue and recovery efforts on Maui, including our efforts to provide security and deliver food, water, shelter, and medical care to those affected by this tragedy.
Mahalo,
Governor Josh Green
