President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit the Hawaiian island of Maui on Monday to survey the damage from the catastrophic wildfire that decimated the island last week. The fires almost completely destroyed the town of Lahaina, claiming more than 100 lives in the process—a death toll to which Biden initially responded “no comment” over the weekend.
As Valuetainment previously reported, the uncontrollable blaze that broke out on Maui and the Big Island last Tuesday in the wake of an offshore hurricane quickly engulfed thousands of acres, destroying homes and businesses in the process. Thousands of people remain unaccounted for, and the death toll currently stands at 106. That number is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue.
“The President and First Lady will travel to Maui on Monday, August 21 to meet with first responders, survivors, as well as federal, state, and local officials, in the wake of deadly wildfires on the island,” said a statement released by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. During the visit, the Bidens will meet with community leaders and emergency personnel to discuss the recovery effort.
Learn the benefits of becoming a Valuetainment Member and subscribe today!
The statement continued: “The President continues to marshal a whole-of-government response to the deadly Maui fires, and he has committed to delivering everything that the people of Hawaii need from the federal government as they recover from this disaster.”
.@POTUS and @FLOTUS will travel to Maui on Monday, August 21 to meet with first responders, survivors, as well as federal, state, and local officials, in the wake of deadly wildfires on the island. pic.twitter.com/rc9n0XhdWO
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 16, 2023
The visit was announced amid growing public pressure for Biden to make a more public statement about the devastation. Despite signing a federal disaster declaration last week, authorizing relief funding and deploying the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the island, the President remained silent on the situation in person. Biden spent the weekend at his family’s Delaware vacation home, where reporters asked for comment on the rising number of casualties.
“No comment,” Biden said, getting into a nearby vehicle and driving away before follow-up questions could be asked.
Biden later clarified at an event on Tuesday, stating “my wife Jill and I are going to travel to Hawaii as soon as we can. That’s what we’ve been talking to the governor about, but I don’t want to get in the way. I’ve been to too many disaster areas, but I want to go and make sure we’ve got everything they need. I want to be sure we don’t disrupt the ongoing recovery efforts.”
As the recovery effort continues, officials are also beginning to look into possible causes for the wildfire. While the effects of Hurricane Dora contributed to the disaster, it is now believed that collapsed power lines and other faulty infrastructure are to blame.
Security camera footage from the Maui Bird Conservation Center taken last Monday reportedly shows the first fire breaking out when a power line began sparking in the woods. After a bright flash, the camera loses power, and the forest is on fire once the video resumes.
View this post on Instagram
A full inquiry into the culpability of Hawaiian Electric is expected in the coming days, and a class action lawsuit has already been filed.
Add comment