Gov. Newsom dispatches aid, rescue teams to support Hawaii.
California Sends Help to Hawaii After Deadly Wildfires
After the deadly wildfires erupted overnight on August 8 in Lāhainā, Hawaii, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on August 10 that the state is stepping in to provide assistance. The Office of Emergency Services is coordinating the deployment of 11 members of the state’s Urban Search and Rescue Team to search for survivors and aid in recovery efforts in the heavily affected areas on the west side of Maui. The team includes federal and state-trained firefighters from Oakland, Sacramento, and Riverside counties.
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In addition, specialists trained in mass fatality management are on their way to assist Hawaiian authorities, and task force agents from Washington state are already providing support. President Joe Biden has also issued a major disaster declaration, freeing up federal funds to aid the impacted communities in Maui.
Emergency responders are currently sifting through the rubble left behind by the devastating blaze. The historic town of Lāhainā has been leveled, with over 250 buildings destroyed and at least 55 lives lost as of August 11. Authorities anticipate that the death toll will rise as recovery operations continue.
The Red Cross is also mobilizing volunteers, including their CEO, to provide assistance in Maui. It is worth noting that Hawaiian volunteers have previously aided California during its own wildfires.
Comparisons between photos from previous California infernos and the recent Hawaiian fires reveal striking similarities, with melted automobile wheels and windshields and buildings reduced to ash.
“California stands with the people of Maui and all Hawaiians amid these horrific wildfires that have claimed lives and destroyed the historic town of Lāhainā,” stated Governor Newsom in the press release announcing the aid. “Californians know firsthand the devastating toll of catastrophic wildfires fueled by climate change, capable of wiping out entire communities and centuries of irreplaceable history and heritage.”
aerial image shows destroyed cars in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii, on Aug. 10, 2023. (Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)”>Governor Newsom personally reached out to Hawaii Governor Josh Green to express his support and discuss collaborative efforts to respond to the devastation. Governor Green acknowledged the magnitude of the tragedy and the long road to recovery but remained optimistic that the historic town will eventually rebuild.
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