Maui Wildfire Death Toll Climbs to 96 as Lahaina Residents Brace for More Victims

LAHAINA, Hawaii—Maui officials increased the death toll to at least 96 following the catastrophic wildfires on the island as they continue the painstaking search for victims in the rubble.

Residents braced for a higher death toll in what is already America’s deadliest wildfire event in over a century as searchers find more human remains in the charred town of Lahaina.

Survivor Shelby DeDell said she and others believe the official death toll is low, having seen cars full of people overtaken by flames as traffic out of Lahaina came to a standstill in the rush to flee.

Across Maui, officials urged residents to share DNA samples to help identify those lost.

DeDell was one of many who lost their homes and belongings picking through donated supplies at a makeshift aid center set up at the Lahaina Gateway shopping center Sunday.

She lived just north of Lahaina’s historic Front Street, which was entirely destroyed.

As cars arrived at the shopping center, the drivers shared how many people were in their households with volunteers, who shouted ahead—“family of two!”, “family of five, but they don’t need food!”–to those preparing loads of food, water and other necessities.

The aid center, one of several dotting West Maui’s coastline, sits at the edge of fire-ravaged downtown Lahaina. The pungent smell of smoke still permeated the air.

Authorities warned that the air around the burn scar is toxic and urged residents and volunteers to wear masks outside.

“It is a harrowing sight in Maui,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a Sunday video post on Facebook.

He said more than 2,700 structures were destroyed in Lahaina. About 4,500 customers remained without power in Maui County early Monday, according to data from PowerOutage.us.

Officials estimated over $5 billion is needed to rebuild from last week’s wildfires.

Green, a Democrat, said small businesses affected by the fires could qualify for federal loans, grants and rent subsidies.

Official probes into the fires’ origins are expected. Investigators are likely to consider several possible sources that sparked the blazes, including a campfire, lightning, transmission equipment and the electric grid, according to longtime fire investigators and electrical-grid experts.

Hawaiian officials said over the weekend that crews using cadaver dogs had searched only 3% of the disaster zone. Relatives have posted across social media about scores of missing loved ones.

Lahaina residents complained they had little warning about the fires that raced through the once-verdant town. Maui has an extensive network of sirens to warn about disasters but reports indicate they weren’t activated during the Tuesday blaze. The fires struck the town so quickly that many panicked residents weren’t able to flee.

Write to Alyssa Lukpat at [email protected] and Alicia A. Caldwell at [email protected]