Maui wildfire death toll climbs to 111; thousands of island residents need housing

LAHAINA, Hawaii −The death toll from the Maui wildfire that destroyed much of this historic town has surpassed 100 and authorities say cadaver dogs have reached less than half the scorched homes and businesses.

Authorities began releasing the names of the dead, and Gov. Josh Green warned the death toll – 111 as of Wednesday – from the nation's deadliest wildfire in more than century was expected to continue climbing. He acknowledged children are among those missing or killed.

Green said housing the displaced continues to be a primary focus of relief efforts. More than 500 hotel rooms were becoming available, and Airbnb.org said it was working to provide free, temporary stays for at least 1,000 people. Green said thousands of people will need housing for at least 36 weeks.

"We want everyone to be able to leave the shelters and go into housing, which will take a very long time," he said.

President Joe Biden will head to Maui on Monday to meet with survivors and officials there, the White House announced Wednesday.

Complicating recovery efforts was a weather forecast calling for storms with rain and high winds this weekend. Officials were considering preemptively cutting power to some areas, Green said.

"Know that we will be there until the end," Green said. "We are there with you, our hearts are with you, we are heartsick that we have had such loss."

FEMA lends a hand, but Maui fire losses estimated in the billions; officials release first names of people killed: Aug. 15 updates

Developments:

◾As of late Tuesday, the Lahaina fire was 85% contained, the Upcountry/Kula fire was 75% contained and the Pulehu/Kihei fire was 100% contained.

◾Authorities announced major roads into the area were being opened for locals, but warned toxic byproducts from flames that spewed spewed poisonous fumes remained a major concern.

◾As of Wednesday, 38% of the impacted area has been searched, Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier said at a news conference.

◾The fire caused about $3.2 billion in insured property losses, the disaster assessment firm Karen Clark & Company estimated. The tally did not include damage to uninsured property.

◾Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday it would give about $2 million in assistance to Hawaii through the Red Cross and the Japan Platform. South Korea also pledged $2 million in humanitarian aid.

Officials urge more survivors to apply for assistance

The federal government asked for help Wednesday in encouraging more Maui residents affected by the wildfires to seek assistance.

The chief impediment is a lack of understanding about whether they should apply for help, said Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“We want everyone to know they should apply for federal assistance,” Criswell said when briefing White House reporters on the federal response.

Residents can seek help by calling 1-800-621-3362 or through the website disasterassistance.gov. More than 1,300 registrations have been approved.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said Wednesday that he authorized waiving property taxes for this year to support people through the fire disaster. Those who already paid taxes will be refunded, he said.

Criswell described meeting a young boy at a shelter who had lost everything and was preparing to go back to school. Officials helped him find clothes, school supplies and a backpack.

“It's stories like these that let you know that this is more than just the visual impact of what we're seeing on television,” she said. “It's the level of devastation from this fire and the feeling of loss of from such a culturally rich community that was really palpable everywhere that I went.”

More federal mortuary specialists head to Hawaii to ID victims

Mortuary specialists from the Defense Department are headed to Hawaii to help identify victims of the wildfires, FEMA's Criswell told reporters Wednesday.

The military personnel will join 30 specialists from the Department of Health and Human Service’s mortuary teams already on the scene.

Bodies are still being recovered but the heat and debris hazards are making it slow going. Cadaver dogs walking through glass and navigating the heat need frequent breaks.

“Which is why we are sending in additional dogs to augment the operation,” Criswell said during the White House daily briefing.

Criswell called it a “really hard disaster” and a “really difficult search operation.”

Questions remain about why siren system didn't sound

More than a week after devastating fires ripped through Lahaina with little warning, questions still remain about why Hawaii's storied outdoor emergency siren system didn't alert residents about the impending danger.

Hawaii boasts the world's largest single integrated outdoor warning system for public safety, with 400 sirens scattered across the state and at least 80 in Maui County that are tested monthly. The alarms were notably silent, as the state sent alerts to cell phones, televisions and radios – but widespread power and cell signal outages left many unable to communicate.

Officials have given varying explanations for the silence.

Gov. Josh Green suggested in a CNN appearance Monday the sirens could have been "immobilized" by the extreme heat from the fires. Last week, however, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Adam Weintraub told The Associated Press records don’t show the system in Maui being activated the day fire took over.

The county's Emergency Management Agency administrator, Herman Andaya, also said sounding the alarms wasn't considered by officials because they're "mainly used for tsunamis," and that's why they're mostly located along the coast, the Honolulu Civil Beat reported.

Yet the state's emergency management website says they're used for "tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents, and more."

Green said officials will review testing on the sirens done at the beginning of the month as part of a larger review of the emergency alert response.

At a news conference Wednesday, Green said he wants to make many changes to increase safety, like moving power lines underground and increasing satellite capacity across the state.

Authorities begin revealing identities of those killed

Authorities late Tuesday released the names of two people who died in the blaze. The bodies of Robert Dyckman, 74, and Buddy Jantoc, 79, both of Lahaina, were identified and families were notified, Maui County said in a statement. Three other individuals have been identified, and officials were working to notify their families.

A portable morgue with mortuary exam tables, X-ray units and other equipment was brought into the area to aid the difficult process of making identifications from the charred remains. Maui Police Chief John Pelletier, who has repeatedly urged families with missing relatives to provide DNA samples, said more than 40 samples have been submitted. Thirteen DNA profiles had been obtained from remains, authorities said.

Bidens to visit scene on Monday

The White House announced Wednesday that Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel Monday to Maui to meet with first responders, survivors and officials.

Green previously said he was working with the White House for a visit from the president after the search for bodies was completed. Green said Biden "did not want to interfere with the incredibly difficult emotional and physical work that goes on in a disaster zone."

"I want to go and make sure we got everything they need," Biden said Tuesday when announcing he would make a trip as soon as it would not interfere with recovery efforts.

Former President Donald Trump was among some Republicans who criticized Biden for not publicly addressing the tragedy in recent days. Biden, in Milwaukee promoting his economic agenda, pledged that “every asset they need will be there for them.”

Lawsuit accuses Hawaiian Electric of negligence

A lawsuit filed on behalf of five Lahaina residents alleges the local power company played a substantial role in the fire. The suit says Hawaiian Electric Industries should be held accountable for “negligence, trespass, and nuisance." The utility company was “a substantial factor” in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century, according to the suit.

Hawaiian Electric Industries is the largest supplier of electricity in Hawaii. San Diego- and Wailuku-based law firm Singleton Schreiber filed the lawsuit Monday. The company issued a statement saying it does not comment on pending litigation and that it is focused on supporting emergency response efforts and restoring any lost electricity.

“Everything we’ve seen indicates the power lines started the fire,” said Singleton Schreiber Managing Partner Gerald Singleton. Read more here.

− Kathleen Wong

Power company was 'substantial factor' Power company was 'substantial factor' in devastating Maui wildfires, lawsuit alleges

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maui fire death toll reaches 111 as search after wildfire continues