Maui loses at least 93 lives in deadliest wildfire of century

Firefighters continued to work to extinguish flare-ups and contain fires in Lahaina and two other places

- Alicia Caldwell

The wildfire that reduced the historic center of this T island town to an ashy rubble has left at least 93 people dead, officials said, making it America's deadliest wildfire event in over a century.

Residents and tourists who were briefly allowed to re-enter West Maui found a blackened landscape of destroyed homes, burnt-out cars and smoldering embers. It will cost over $5 billion to rebuild from the Lahaina fire, officials estimated.

The center of Lahaina remained barricaded, officials said. People were warned to avoid the area because of toxic particles in the air and advised to wear masks and gloves. Firefighters continued to work to extinguish flare-ups and contain fires in Lahaina and two other places, Maui County officials said.

A family-assistance center opened Saturday at a community center to try to help people unable to find missing loved ones. Volunteers were also gathering at various places to distribute water, food, diapers, baby formula and other essentials.

Roughly 2,170 acres burned in the catastrophic blaze that broke out Tuesday and ravaged Lahaina, according to initial assessments from the Pacific Disaster Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

More than 150 FEMA personnel have been deployed to Maui, the agency said Saturday, with assistance from over a dozen other federal agencies and departments. The National Guard has activated 134 troops to help with firefighting.

Federal disaster assistance is available for Hawaii residents who apply, the agency said. Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are in Maui to help residents register and address critical needs in the affected neighborhoods.