President Biden declares disaster after deadly Hawaii wildfires

President Biden now declaring Hawaii a disaster area as wildfires have torn through Mau, killing at least 36 people. This now clears the way for federal aid and recovery. Right now, the National Guard and local firefighters are trying to put out at least seven individual wildfires in Hawaii. We are now seeing some of the heartbreaking images of just widespread destruction, the damage that is all across the island. Back here in Washington, many are concerned about friends and family who live on the isla. Our sister station over in Seate spoke with one woman who hasn't heard from her family in days. Sometimes you wish you were at . Not that you can do anything, but it's family there. If you call their cell phones. Right now, it there's no cell service Officials say Lahaina's phone ls are all down right now as the fe ripped through parts of that ci. Closer to home, a flight from Mi landed at Sea Tac just this mor. Passengers on that flight spoke about what it was like on the island. One couple from Denver said they feel lucky to have gotten out safely, and I hope those who are still there will get the help they ne. We're so sorry. And it's, you k, nobody could have predicted thi. And we hope that people step up and give help and that they're able to rebuild. And I just, I hope people are o. They're not okay, but I hope tht they're able to get resources. At least. The fires are being fueled in part by Hurricane Dora, which is churning hundreds of miles South of Hawaii. But still, the winds on Maui hae reached more than 50 miles an h, and as more resources pour in t, officials are fearing the death toll could continue to rise. CBS correspondent Billy V has the latest now from Honolulu. The fire that roared through Mas historic Lahaina town like a blowtorch has left devastation everywhere. But we saw look like an area that had been bombed and burned by in a war zone. Helicopter tour operator Richie Olsten flew over the smoldering town. There's hundreds of homes leveled down to the ground. The historic section of the town is destroyed. Even the boats in the harbor were burned down to the water. They're gone. This is truly an all hands on deck situation. As the massive search and rescue effort is underway, officials fear the death toll will rise. The primary focus is to save lis and to prevent human suffering d then mitigate great property lo. The National Guard is dumping water on the fires, which are being fueled by low humidity, drought conditions, and whipping winds from a hurricane 700 miles away. I'm going to make sure the state has everything it needs from the federal government to recover, and now that President Biden has declared a major disaster, more federal help is on the way. But that's little solace to those who have lost everything just down to the slab. Nothing but smoking. Cinders came with the clothes wt on and a dog and two kids. Here we are. Shelters are packed with people who have nowhere else to go. This satellite image captures what Lahaina look like before te fire and after a once thriving community and lively tourist destination reduced to ashes. Billy V, CBS News, Honolulu.

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Id: Yihwn0-qUS8

Length: 3min 29sec (209 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 10 2023