1 year ago
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Maui, Hawaii, “as soon as we can,” he said Tuesday in the wake of the wildfires that raged through the island to become the country’s most lethal wildfire in a century.
“My wife Jill and I are going to travel to Hawaii as soon as we can. That's what I've been talking to the governor about. I don't want to get in the way,” Biden said while delivering remarks on the economy in Wisconsin.
The wildfires have left 96 people dead as of Monday since the fires began last week in the historic town of Lahaina on Maui island. The catastrophic blaze has led to mass evacuations and widespread power outages, impacting thousands.
The Maui blaze was 85 percent contained by Sunday night, according to officials. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green warned Monday that many more people could be found dead as search and rescue teams continue to inspect the area.
“We are prepared for many tragic stories,” Green told “CBS Mornings” in an interview that was aired Monday. "They will find 10 to 20 people per day, probably, until they finish. And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really.”
On Thursday, Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Hawaii in order to free up federal aid to support the island. Biden also had an extended phone call with Green last week, assuring him of his commitment to ensuring the state receives “everything it needs from the federal government.”
Kelly Garrity contributed to this report.
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