At least six people have died on the Hawaiian island of Maui amid raging wildfires, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said Wednesday.
As search-and-rescue efforts continue, Bissen said he is unsure whether the death toll from the fires will rise.
The blazes, fueled by strong wind gusts from an offshore hurricane, drove 12 people in the hard-hit town of Lahaina in northwestern Maui to jump into the Pacific Ocean late Tuesday to escape the flames. They were ultimately rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke (D), who is currently serving as acting governor while Gov. Josh Green (D) travels out of state, declared a state of emergency and activated the Hawaii National Guard on Tuesday.
“A lot of residents in the state of Hawaii, when we are preparing for a hurricane, we expect rain. Sometimes, we expect floods,” Luke said at a press conference Wednesday.
“We never anticipated in this state that a hurricane, which did not make impact on our islands, would cause this type of wildfires — wildfires that wiped out communities, wildfires that wiped out businesses, wildfires that destroyed homes,” she added.
The National Weather Service said Wednesday that strong winds from Hurricane Dora, along with low humidity levels, would continue to produce “dangerous fire weather conditions” through the afternoon.
However, the winds are expected to begin easing Wednesday night, decreasing back to “moderate to breezy speeds” by Friday, as the hurricane moves west and away from the island chain.
President Biden offered his condolences to those affected by the wildfires Wednesday night, adding that he has ordered all available federal assets in Hawaii to assist with the response.
“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in the wildfires in Maui, and our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses, and communities destroyed,” Biden said in a statement.
“We are grateful to the brave firefighters and first responders who continue to run toward danger, putting themselves in harm’s way to save lives,” he added.