MAUI, LAHAINA: The devastating Maui wildfires that ravaged the picturesque coastal town of Lahaina still show the utter destruction they wrought 27 days after the disaster.
As of the latest report, there are still 385 individuals officially listed as missing.
While there is some hope as 245 people have been located and removed from the previous week's list, almost as many new names have been added, making the situation even more difficult to resolve than originally thought.
Maui's ongoing recovery efforts and investigations
Hawaiian Governor Josh Green expressed his initial optimism that the number of missing individuals would drop below 100, but the recent developments have been a somber reminder that the situation remains fluid and uncertain.
"We think the number has dropped down into the double digits, so thank God," Green said in a video.
He added: "Exact numbers are going to take time, perhaps a long time, to become finalized."
Green acknowledged that exact numbers may take a considerable amount of time to finalize, especially in the aftermath of mass casualty events.
He did, however, note that there are now fewer than 50 "active missing person cases," without providing further details on this figure.
The tragic wildfire, which reached temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees, caused widespread devastation in Lahaina on August 8.
The blaze consumed homes, businesses, and a place with deep ties to Native Hawaiian history.
Over half of the town's residents have been forced to seek temporary shelter in hotels and short-term rentals as they grapple with the aftermath of the disaster.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is actively involved in the cleanup efforts to address hazardous waste left in the town's burn zone.
Reconstruction in Lahaina is expected to be a lengthy and costly process.
While it is suspected that the fire may have been ignited by power lines from Hawaiian Electric, no official cause has been determined.
Maui County sues Hawaiian Electric over wildfires
Maui County has taken legal action against the utility company, which has acknowledged that its power lines were responsible for igniting a wildfire on that fateful day, Guardian reports.
They, however, pointed fingers at county firefighters for prematurely declaring the blaze contained, allowing another wildfire to erupt nearby.
Local officials in Maui and Lahaina have come under intense scrutiny for their perceived inadequate response to the fire threat.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen faced questions regarding his actions on the day of the fire.
He admitted to not calling the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, despite it being his responsibility to request state emergency support.
'I can't speak to what - or whose responsibility it was to communicate directly," Bissen told CBS last week. "I can't say who was responsible for communicating with General Hara," said the director of the Emergency Management Agency.
Hara himself disclosed that crucial information about the fire was not relayed to him, and he was not made aware of any fatalities until the day after the fire had engulfed the town.
The handling of the disaster has prompted Republicans in Washington to launch a formal investigation into the federal government's response.
"The response by federal, state, and local officials to the catastrophic wildfire in Maui raises serious questions," House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said in a statement last week.
"As recovery efforts continue, the House Oversight Committee has a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently and effectively. To minimize the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars, the Oversight Committee will examine the federal government's response in Maui," Comer added.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy examined the investigation last month.
"I think there's gonna have to be a congressional investigation in response to what happened. How could we lose that many Americans in today's age? And the federal response seems very delayed," he said.
Joe Biden's response to the Maui wildfires sparks controversy
Biden's response to the Maui wildfire has also drawn criticism. His initial response to a reporter's question was met with controversy when he stated he had "no comment" while on a Delaware beach.
The White House later clarified that he had not heard the question about Maui when he made that remark.
During his visit to the island weeks after the fire, the President's motorcade encountered a mixed reception, with some residents expressing their frustration by waving Trump 2024 flags and other forms of dissent.
In his address to the islanders, Biden pledged the federal government's unwavering support, promising to stand with them throughout the recovery and reconstruction process.
However, his speech included personal anecdotes, such as the tragic loss of his wife and baby daughter in 1972 and a 2004 kitchen fire in his Delaware home, which did little to connect with the traumatized residents of Maui.
Despite the challenges and criticism, Biden approved an emergency declaration shortly after the wildfire broke out and dispatched hundreds of federal workers to assist with the aftermath.
However, weeks later, access to essential services such as cell service and electricity remains unreliable, and survivors continue to grapple with finding housing, medical assistance, and daily necessities.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has pledged one-time $700 payments to nearly all households affected by the wildfires, in addition to providing food and essential supplies at designated camps for displaced residents.
