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Though the wildfires have mostly been contained, Hawaii residents are still reeling from the aftermath as families assess the devastating damage to their homes and identifications are released of some of the 106 people killed.
People have begun to share stories of those killed, including a 68-year-old man who died trying to protect his dog and a family of four who burned to death in their car near their home. Identifications are likely to be released slowly over the coming days as officials recover remains and notify families.
Those who survived are scattered across at least 11 shelters that are serving more than 4,000 people, according to the Red Cross of Hawaii. Maui residents have also told NBC News they are frustrated as they move out of shelters and into hotels, which will be available for only 30 days. Families are seeking more permanent housing options after having lost their entire lives over just a few days.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it is on the ground in Maui working on getting temporary rental assistance, as well as providing money and aiding search efforts. President Joe Biden promised “every asset” available from the federal government to help the state recover Tuesday.
“It’s almost hollow ... ‘our thoughts and prayers with the people’ ... not just our prayers, every asset, every asset they need will be there for them,” Biden said at an event in Wisconsin. “And we will be there as long as it takes, as long as it takes.”
What to know about the deadly wildfires
- 106 people have been confirmed dead, while many others remain missing. Officials are expected to start identifying the dead today.
- Cadaver dogs are helping search Maui's charred ruins for the missing.
- The fires could pose long-term health risks to residents due to chemical compounds contaminating the air, water and wreckage, authorities have warned.
- The economic cost to Maui could come to $7 billion, Moody’s Analytics said Monday.
- Timeline: How ferocious wildfires devastated Maui, hour by hour
- NBC News teams are on the ground and reporting from Maui.
106 remains recovered, county says
Maui County released the names tonight of two of the 106 victims of the wildfires.
The two victims were identified as Robert Dyckman, 74, and Buddy Jantoc, 79, both of Lahaina.
Three more victims have been identified but their names are being withheld pending next of kin notification, the county said in a statement.
The majority of the 106 fatalities have not been identified.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the families who are beginning to receive notifications about their loved ones,” Mayor Richard Bissen said in the statement. “As a community, we offer our prayers of comfort in this most difficult time.”
Survivors of Maui fires set up their own aid network as trust in government falters
WAILEA, Hawaii — One week after wildfires roared across Maui and devoured their property, residents who have called Maui home for generations were watching over the ashes.
Distrustful of the government’s response to a tragedy that has already displaced hundreds of families and fearful of outsiders’ swooping in to take their ancestral homes, they were organizing their own relief efforts to get food and supplies to people who are unwilling or unable to venture far from their destroyed properties.
“We are taking charge,” Maui County Council Vice Chair Keani Rawlins-Fernandez said Tuesday.
For Lahaina couple expecting a child, there was no more time to hope
KIHEI, Hawaii — After the power went out in Lahaina and after smoke was seen from a wildfire that would later sweep into the town, Tasha Anderson “was in denial.”
They had seen other storms and other fires, and they were always able to return later.
“I just didn’t want to leave, like, where we had built the nursery, where we were going to bring our baby home to,” Anderson, who is pregnant with the couple’s first child, said today.
Her fiancé, Kevin Campbell, got on a scooter to check the condition of the fire. He said what he saw was not like past experiences.
“The flames, the wind had just taken this fire and made it so much more than a normal fire,” he said. “It was jumping from building to building. It was crossing the street. It was catching a tree and then catching a house.”
When Anderson heard the panic in Campbell’s voice, they got in a car and left, grabbing almost nothing.
Homeless shelter among the buildings destroyed in Lahaina
A 78-unit Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers shelter was among the buildings destroyed in the wildfire that burned into Lahaina, the organization said.
KHAKO Executive Director Monique R. Ibarra said she saw the destruction firsthand with a police escort.
“All the buildings are gone. Wildfire reduced them to ashes and debris,” she said in a statement on the group’s website.
“This morning, I informed the residents who escaped Tuesday afternoon with little more than the clothes they were wearing. It was heartbreaking,” she wrote.
Some of the units were for emergency shelter for families and people making the transition from homelessness to permanent housing, the organization said.
Many on Maui will need shelter in the wake of the destruction in Lahaina, Gov. Josh Green has said. He said over 500 hotel rooms have been identified and are available.
"Hundreds of families and thousands of individuals" have lost either the residences they own or where they have been renting, Green said today.
Road by Lahaina in West Maui to be reopened, governor says
A major road by the fire-ravaged Lahaina area in West Maui will be reopened tonight for some groups and tomorrow during the day for everyone, the governor said.
“No one will be able to go into the impact zone where the tragedy has occurred,” Gov. Josh Green said, but he said the decision will allow freer movement in West Maui.
The Lahaina Bypass will be opened starting at 6 o’clock tonight until 6 a.m. for residents, first responders and employees of the region, he said.
Starting tomorrow from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., it will be opened to everyone, and that will be a regular schedule, he said.
10 p.m. to 6 a.m. will be for necessary travel for residents and first responders, he said.
“Were trying to get back to normal so that people’s lives can begin to, in some ways, be reconnected to the other side of the island,” Green said.
Confirmed deaths in Maui wildfires rise to 101
The number of confirmed deaths in the wildfires in Maui that devastated the town of Lahaina has risen to 101, Gov. Josh Green said today.
The previous number was 99. Surveys and searches of burned areas are continuing.
Green said more than 1,000 first responders from around the world are assisting after the tragedy. The fire that broke out in Lahaina was one of several in Maui on Aug. 8.
"We are heartsick that we’ve had such loss," Green said.
Timeline: How ferocious wildfires devastated Maui, hour by hour
Monstrous, windswept wildfires ripped through the Hawaiian island of Maui last week, charring communities and killing at least 100 people.
NBC News reconstructed a timeline of events based on public advisories, state government warnings, eyewitness accounts and videos posted on social media.
4 of Maui’s wildfire dead have been identified; DNA taken from relatives
Four of the sets of remains found after Maui’s wildfires have been identified, Maui County said in an update this morning Hawaii time.
The identities of the four will be released once their families are notified, the county said.
Investigators have obtained DNA profiles of 13 more people, and 41 DNA samples have been obtained from family members of people who are unaccounted for, the county said.
Relatives who wish to provide DNA to help in the search can go to a Family Assistance Center, the county said.
Franklin Trejos was among those killed. He died sheltering a golden retriever, longtime friends said. "Just the friendliest guy you would ever meet," Shannon Weber-Bogar recalled.
Maui police: Hope is to search 85% of burned area by weekend
More areas of Maui’s deadly wildfire were searched today, with 32% of the disaster zone having been covered, Maui County said in an update.
Previously, 25% had been searched. Dogs are being used to locate remains in and around Lahaina, the West Maui town that burned when a wind-whipped fire swept in last week.
Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said at a news conference yesterday that it is hoped that 85% to 90% can be searched by the weekend.
In some cases, dogs have helped find remains after initial searches have been done and searchers retraced where they had been, Pelletier said.
“We don’t want to miss anything,” Pelletier said.
Ninety-nine deaths have been confirmed. The number could rise as more searches are done.
Biden says he and first lady will go to Hawaii as soon as they can
Hawaii residents displaced by fire, forced into shelters
The Maui wildfires have forced evacuees to spend 4,000 stays in shelters so far during the ongoing disaster, officials said Tuesday.
Those residents have been staying at 11 shelters, as more than 270 volunteers have jumped into action, according to the Red Cross of Hawaii.
"Our work is just beginning," the relief organization said. "We’re working with our partners to get help to where it is needed as quickly as possible."
Pilot vacationing on Maui volunteered to fly plane as fires raged, helping 330 people get off island
A United Airlines pilot vacationing on Maui volunteered to fly a plane off the wildfire-engulfed island, helping 330 people get home safely.
Capt. Vince Eckelkamp, of Colorado, told NBC News today that he was scheduled to fly from Maui to Denver last Tuesday after a six-day vacation with his wife and daughter.
Around 4 a.m. that morning, the power in his hotel went out due to gusty winds that downed power lines. The family packed their bags in the dark and planned to head to Kahului Airport early, but soon found there was no cell service available.
To get to the airport, Eckelkamp’s family drove through the historic town of Lahaina — only a few hours before it turned into an inferno.
Disasters like Maui fire open door to charity scammers and fraud, officials say
Federal prosecutors warned the public today to be on the lookout for heartless scammers who won't "hesitate to take advantage of the challenging times to commit fraud and other crimes."
Telltale signs of a scam will include requests for personal information, such as bank account numbers and Social Security numbers, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Hawaii said in a statement.
"As the devastation of our communities on Maui and Hawaii Island continues to unfold, local and national organizations have created ways for volunteers to assist as well as to provide donations of food, money and other resources," prosecutors said.
"While such efforts provide critical aid, we know that during periods of tremendous need like this, criminals do not hesitate to take advantage of the challenging times to commit fraud and other crimes," the statement continued.
Maui wildfire becomes latest fodder for disaster conspiracy theorists
As Maui reckons with the deadliest wildfire in recent U.S. history, it is also dealing with a digital nightmare that has become common around major news stories: social media-fueled conspiracy theories.
Fires have ravaged and destroyed parts of West Maui, hitting the historic community of Lahania particularly hard. At least 99 people are dead and the economic cost of the fires could balloon to $7 billion.
It’s still unclear what caused the fires, but the severity of the destruction in West Maui has been attributed in part to a confluence of high winds from Hurricane Dora in the Pacific and drought in the region. Wildfires have been a known risk in the area for years.
That hasn’t stopped would-be social media sleuths from attempting to uncover a nonexistent plot to start the fires.
One of the most prevalent and outlandish theories is that the fires were caused by some kind of secret “energy weapon,” a relatively common conspiracy trope that has been repurposed in recent years around a variety of events, including previous wildfires. Some have misrepresented an image of a SpaceX rocket launch as evidence that some kind of weapon used a beam to cause an explosion on the island.
Biden says he spoke with Gov. Green and FEMA officials, promises 'every asset' in response to fire
President Joe Biden, speaking Tuesday at an event in Wisconsin, promised “every asset” from the federal government in response to the Hawaii wildfires.
“They’ve claimed the lives of 99 people so far,” Biden said. “They haven’t cleaned things up yet. The deadliest wildfire more than 100 years, whole city destroyed. Generations of native Hawaiian history turned into ruin.”
“And think about this, all that area. They gotta plow up," he continued. "They can’t do it now because you don’t know how many bodies, you don’t know what’s left. Imagine being a mom or dad, wondering where your child is. Imagine being a husband or wife or mother, father. It’s really tough stuff.”
Biden said he’s spoken with Gov. Josh Green multiple times and almost 500 federal personnel have been deployed to the state. He said that he and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Hawaii as soon as possible, but don’t want to disrupt rescue and recovery efforts.
“In the meantime, you always hear this phrase and I’ve done so many disasters in my career. It’s almost hollow ... 'our thoughts and prayers with the people' ... not just our prayers, every asset, every asset they need will be there for them. And we will be there as long as it takes, as long as it takes.”
GOP slams Biden for going 4 days without talking about Maui fires
WASHINGTON — It’s the sort of split-screen moment that no White House relishes.
While Maui counted its dead Sunday, President Joe Biden sat on the beach in Delaware, rode his bicycle and said little about the deadliest wildfire to hit the U.S. in a century.
“We’re looking at it,” he said, pedaling past reporters who shouted at him as he whizzed by.
Biden first delivered remarks about the catastrophic fires on Thursday. The next day, his son became the subject of a federal special counsel investigation. And since then, Biden has said virtually nothing to the press — not about Hunter Biden, the fires or anything else.
Four days of silence haven’t gone unnoticed. Yesterday reporters pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about why he has not spoken out more; Republicans have piled on criticism that the president was failing to address the devastation; and today the conservative media juxtaposed pictures of Biden at the beach with footage of the fires.
Paris Hilton was vacationing on Maui when uncle’s restaurant burned down
Paris Hilton drew criticism when photos obtained by the Daily Mail showed the star vacationing on Maui amid the wildfire catastrophe.
A source close to Paris Hilton told NBC News that she had been on the island for a planned family trip, and Maui is like a second home for her.
“Her uncle’s restaurant in Lahaina burned down, so they decided to shorten their trip and go to see their family and help where they could,” the source said. “When they arrived, they gathered supplies, donated to the local shelters and people in need, and made significant contributions.”
3,000 animals estimated to be displaced by wildfires
An estimated 3,000 animals are believed to have been displaced by the Maui wildfires, many of them likely needing “intense medical care,” the Maui Humane Society said Tuesday.
The organization shared a photo of a cat found by rescuers; they are calling it Alani, which means the color orange in Hawaiian. Based off his scorched coat, he “made his best efforts escaping the fires.”
“All of his paw pads burned, his mouth swollen and painful. He was dehydrated and lifeless. He had no microchip or other signs of ownership,” the society wrote on Facebook. For now, Alani is on the mend getting daily foot soaks to treat his paws and medications.
"If Alani’s owners are out there, we want them to know that he is safe and recovering," the organization wrote. "Maui Humane Society is dedicated to reunifying pets with their owners."
68-year-old Lahaina resident died in car trying to protect golden retriever
Shannon Weber-Bogar told NBC News her friend Franklin Trejos died shielding their 3-year-old golden retriever, Sam, in the wildfires that consumed Lahaina on Aug. 8.
Her husband, Geoff Bogar, found the bodies of Trejos and Sam in a car one day after the blaze tore through their neighborhood.
Geoff Bogar told The Associated Press that he and Trejos tried to save the Bogars' house and help people in the neighborhood, but fled in their own cars when the flames drew near.
Geoff Bogar said his car wouldn’t start and he broke through a window and crawled on the ground until a police patrol found him and he was taken to a hospital. When he returned the next day, he found the bones of 68-year-old Trejos, his friend of 35 years.
Trejos, a native of Costa Rica, had lived for years with Bogar and his wife, helping her with her seizures when her husband couldn’t. He filled their lives with love and laughter, The Associated Press reported.
Family of 4 died trying to escape wildfire
Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone, Salote Takafua, and her son, Tony Takafua died attempting to escape the wildfires that tore through Hawaii last week.
Their remains were found Thursday in a burned car near their home.
“The magnitude of our grief is indescribable,” read a statement from family members.
Lylas Kanemoto, who knew the Tone family, confirmed the devastating news Sunday.
“At least we have closure for them, but the loss and heartbreak is unbearable for many. We as a community has to just embrace each other and support our families, friends, and our community to our best of our abilities,” Kanemoto told The Associated Press by text message on Sunday.
A week into the disaster, airlines have evacuated over 32,000 from Maui
Since wildfires hit Hawaii last week, American Airlines operated 21 flights from Kahului Airport on Maui to the continental U.S., evacuating more than 4,200 people from the island, the airline said in an update Monday.
American also worked with nonprofits to send in shipments of supplies such as nonperishable food, baby formula and diapers to the island.
From Aug. 8 to Sunday, United Airlines transported more than 11,000 people off Maui, and flew in responders with the American Red Cross, Air Link and World Central Kitchen, the airline said in a statement.
Hawaii Airlines said in the first 72 hours of the disaster, hundreds of flights were operated and carried more than 17,000 people out of Kahului Airport.
Within the first week, more than 54,000 pounds of essential supplies were also transported to Maui including blood, medical supplies, communications equipment and animal kennels, according to the airline.
Chemicals released into air and water could pose long-term risks
The fires that have been burning in Maui since Tuesday could pose long-term health risks to residents due to chemical compounds contaminating the air, water and wreckage, authorities and experts have warned.
The Hawaii State Health Department cautioned Friday that ash and dust from burned buildings might carry toxic chemicals like asbestos and lead. Many destroyed buildings in Lahaina — the hardest-hit community — may have contained these chemicals because they were built before lead and asbestos were phased out of construction in the 1970s.
“Things like lead and asbestos are sort of top of the list. Those are things that are in paint, in buildings, and then do not really get destroyed with burning, so they’re now in the ash and the dust,” said Diana Felton, Hawaii’s state toxicologist.
Felton said that there is some concern that people in Lahaina might inhale lead and asbestos particles in the air but that the bigger worry is that residents might unintentionally ingest the chemicals if they get on clothes or hands.
What FEMA's doing on the ground
Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesperson John Mills shared an update on what the agency is doing on Maui: providing money to survivors for critical needs, temporary rental assistance, getting people out of shelters and into hotels and aiding in search and rescue efforts.
“This is a very somber and respectful process that we’re going through at the same time working across multiple lines of effort in mass care, emergency services, critical infrastructure and housing to figure out the next steps and support Maui County and support the state,” Mills said on NBC’s “TODAY” show Tuesday morning.
Power and cell service is slowly being restored, Mills said, but there’s still a ways to go when it comes to searching charred buildings for victims.
Still, there are glimmers of hope from the vibrant community on the island. "Neighbors are really doing an amazing job. So many people are taking survivors into their homes and giving them a temporary place to live,” he said.
Nearly 500 people affected by fires have been moved into hotels
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said nearly 500 people “impacted from the fires” are now being housed in hotels.
“We’re committed to working with our hotel and vacation rental industries to prioritize the temporary housing needs of our people,” Green tweeted Monday evening. “We mahalo them for their extraordinary efforts.”
He shared a video of a Lahaina native named Jacob, who lost his home in the fire and works at the Royal Lahaina Resort and is being temporarily housed and fed at the hotel with his immediate family.
“My family we were able to make it here, I’ve accounted for everybody. My children, they are all good. We do have a special needs child, muscle dystrophy along with Down syndrome but due to the outreach and all the help and support we’ve been getting from clinics from his therapy sessions, all that, he’s doing just fine," Jacob said in the clip. "We’re just so grateful for everything everyone has done and please continue to support," he added.
Death toll remains at 99, officials say
The death toll of the Maui wildfire disaster remained at 99 as of late Monday evening local time, officials said.
At least three people killed in the wildfires had so far been identified as of 10 p.m. local time (4 a.m. ET Tuesday) Maui County officials said in an online update.
"Their names will be released after their families are notified," the county said.
Lahaina fire still around 85% contained, officials say
The fire in Lahaina was around 85 percent contained as of late Monday evening local time, officials said.
In an update on the wildfire disaster, Maui County said that as of 10 p.m. local time on Monday (4 a.m. ET on Tuesday) the fire had been at least 85 percent contained.
"Multiple fire crews are assigned to monitor and address any flareups," the county said, adding: "There are no active threats at this time."
The county noted that even when a fire is 100 percent contained, that does not mean it has been extinguished. "It means that firefighters have the blaze fully surrounded by a perimeter, inside which it can still burn. A fire is declared 'extinguished' when fire personnel believe there is nothing left burning."
Former Warriors coach Don Nelson opens Hawaii homes to victims
Former Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson is reportedly opening his short-term rental homes in Maui to those impacted by the deadly wildfires.
“We’re doing the best we can, but we only have space for about 24 people,” Nelson told the San Francisco Chronicle in a phone interview Monday. “There are thousands of people homeless right now. It’s overwhelming.”
Nelson started investing in local real estate in Maui back in 2011 shortly after settling into West Maui full-time, according to the outlet. Now, he said he is leasing his properties for free to those who have lost their homes in the wildfire.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Nelson said. “This is home. Right now, it needs all our help.”
Japan ready to 'provide necessary assistance' if U.S. requests it
The Japanese government is ready to "provide necessary assistance" in response to the wildfires if the U.S. requests it, a spokesperson said Tuesday.
Japan has so far received reports of homes owned by Japanese nationals being damaged by the wildfires in Maui, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in a daily news briefing. He said the government had not received any news of fatalities or injuries among Japanese nationals.
“Since the outbreak of the wildfire, we have been in close communication with the U.S. government as well as the Hawaiian state government, and we have informed them of our readiness to provide necessary assistance should they request it," he said.
Economic cost could be $7 billion, analysis finds
The economic cost to Maui from the wildfires could come up to $7 billion, Moody’s Analytics said Monday.
"Losses may be more than enough to suggest a brief but severe local recession," the financial services company said.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green also said that the damage was estimated to be close to $6 billion.
He said “there has been a great deal of water conflict on Maui for many years” and that Maui has faced challenges getting enough water to rural areas and to houses.
“We’re in the process of a comprehensive review that I’ve asked our attorney general to do, and there will be multiple reviews at every level to find out what the level of preparedness was,” Green said.
Search continues for the missing as death toll rises
The search for those missing in the Maui wildfires will continue on Tuesday after the death toll rose to nearly 100 people.
At least 99 people were confirmed to have died in the wildfires, officials said Monday. Officials were expected to begin identifying those killed on Tuesday, provided that their families have been notified of their deaths.
Searchers and cadaver dogs had so far covered around a quarter of the town of Lahaina as of Monday, officials said. They will continue their search in what Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said was likely to be the largest natural disaster in the state's history.