Maui wildfires updates: President Biden, first lady get firsthand look at damage

The fires burned thousands of homes and commercial buildings to the ground.

ByMark Osborne, Meredith Deliso, Morgan Winsor, Nadine El-Bawab, Mary Kekatos, Kevin Shalvey, Jolie Lash, Ivan Pereira, and Kiara Alfonseca
Video byJulian Kim and Emmanuelle Saliba
Last Updated: August 21, 2023, 2:00 PM EDT

The deadly wildfires that erupted on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Aug. 8 have become the deadliest natural disaster in state history, officials said.

The blazes spread rapidly due to very dry conditions stemming from a drought combined with powerful winds. Much of the historic town of Lahaina has been "destroyed," officials said, and the inferno has burned thousands of residential and commercial buildings to the ground.

Maui Wildfires
ABC News, AP, Nasa

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Aug 17, 2023, 5:36 am

Maui Strong: Charities to directly support wildfire relief efforts

On Thursday, "Good Morning America" and ABC News organized efforts to help viewers get involved in relief efforts for survivors of the Maui fires.

"Good Morning America" is helping raise awareness for Maui fire relief efforts.
ABC News

How to help:

-- Maui Strong Fund

-- Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement

-- University of Hawai'i Foundation

-- Kokua Restaurant & Hospitality Fund for Maui

-- American Red Cross/ABC

-ABC News’ Kelly McCarthy

Aug 16, 2023, 11:55 am

What we know about the victims

Over 100 people have died from the devastating wildfires on Maui. Officials have warned that the death toll is expected to rise as they work to contain the active blazes and assess the damage.

Click here to read what we know about some of the victims.

PHOTO: In an undated photo, Buddy Jantoc, center, is seen with his granddaughter Keshia Alakai and her husband.
In an undated photo, Buddy Jantoc, center, is seen with his granddaughter Keshia Alakai and her husband. Courtesy of The Family of Buddy Jantoc
Courtesy of The Family of Buddy Jantoc

Aug 11, 2023, 5:43 PM EDT

How the wildfires are affecting people's physical and mental health

Impacts from the deadly Maui wildfires go beyond evacuations and damaged buildings. Experts say the fires are also affecting residents' and tourists' physical health and could have impacts on their mental health.

In an aerial view, smoke rises from businesses that were destroyed by a wildfire on Aug. 11, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of gases, pollutants and particles that people can inhale, penetrating the lungs and even entering the bloodstream.

Research has also shown wildfires and the subsequent smoke can lead to increased rates of anxiety and depression and become worse among people who already have these conditions.

Read more about the possible health impacts here.

-ABC News' Mary Kekatos

Aug 11, 2023, 5:28 PM EDT

Jeff Bezos and fiancée pledge $100 million to Maui

Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, have pledged $100 million to Maui, Sanchez announced on Instagram.

"Jeff and I are heartbroken by what's happening in Maui," Sanchez said in the post, which Bezos also shared on his Instagram account. "We are thinking of all the families that have lost so much and a community that has been left devastated."

She said they are creating a Maui Fund and dedicating $100 million "to help Maui get back on its feet now and over the coming years as the continuing needs reveal themselves."

Aug 11, 2023, 1:56 PM EDT

People will be allowed in homes Friday, officials say

West Maui residents will be allowed into their homes Friday, officials said.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen announced during a radio update that they will be reopening parts of West Maui with proof of residency, and for visitors with proof of hotel reservation. Access to Lahaina will begin at noon local time, officials said.

There will be a daily curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., he said. During those hours there will be no unauthorized public access to Lahaina to protect residences and property, officials said.

A view of damage cause by wildfires in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, in this undated picture posted on Aug. 11, 2023.
Office Of The Governor Hawaii Josh Green/Handout via Reuters

"They will see destruction like they’ve not ever seen in their lives," Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in an interview on local station KHON Friday.

"Do not go into any structure remotely effected by fires, we do not want to see any other casualties," he added.

-ABC News' Jennifer Watts and Alyssa Pone

Aug 11, 2023, 10:18 AM EDT

14,900 visitors left Maui on flights Thursday

As the wildfires continue to rage, 14,900 visitors left Maui on flights Thursday, according to Maui County.

Visitors wanting to leave Maui have been asked to book flights off the island. They can book flights to Honolulu, then continue on another flight to the Mainland.

PHOTO: People gather at the Kahului Airport while waiting for flights Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, in Kahului, Hawaii. Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island.
People gather at the Kahului Airport while waiting for flights Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, in Kahului, Hawaii. Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing multiple people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.
Rick Bowmer/AP

-ABC News' Jennifer Watts

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