On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Hawaii due to the forest fires that are affecting the island of Maui.
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Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said that "widespread devastation" can be seen in many neighborhoods on Maui, where most of the fires are still out of control.
She acknowledged that the FEMA presence in the area is still small and with limited ability to locate people. After a first official count, the authorities recognized the existence of 36 deceased citizens.
Biden ordered federal aid to supplement recovery efforts by local governments in areas affected by the wildfires that began on August 8.
The U.S. president spoke by phone with Hawaii Governor Josh Green and expressed his deep condolences for the lives lost and the extensive destruction of land and property.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decided to facilitate rescue efforts through flight restrictions in airspace over the area near the city of Lahaina and the Kihei and Kula zones.
The authorities are asking people to leave these areas as soon as possible. So far 11,000 people have been evacuated from Maui and another 1,500 citizens are expected to leave. Airlines are offering low ticket prices to promote departure.
"Practically, the entire city of Lahaina has burned. Its entire historic area, homes, and businesses are burned," said the director of operations of the helicopter company Air Maui Helicopters, Richie Olsten, who explained that there are hundreds of people sheltering in temporary shelters such as the Memorial Stadium.
The severe drought that has affected the islands in recent months and the strong winds from Hurricane Dora have caused the flames to spread much faster. "The road to recovery will be long," Maui Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke warned Wednesday night.