Biden sends military to aid Maui wildfire response 

President Biden on Wednesday ordered “all available Federal assets” to support the response to the Maui wildfires, which have left at least 36 people dead.

Biden said the U.S. Coast Guard and the Navy’s 3rd Fleet are “supporting response and rescue efforts” on the Hawaiian island, noting that the Hawaiian National Guard mobilized Chinook helicopters to also help with fire suppression and search and rescue efforts. The Army also supplied Black Hawk helicopters to help battle the flames on the Big Island, he said.

“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in the wildfires in Maui, and our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses, and communities destroyed,” Biden said in a statement Wednesday evening. “We are grateful to the brave firefighters and first responders who continue to run toward danger, putting themselves in harm’s way to save lives.”

He said that the federal Transportation Department was working with airlines to evacuate tourists from the island. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture are also ready to respond with post-fire recovery efforts, he said.

He also urged residents to heed evacuation orders and “stay alert.”

The fires on Maui have been fueled by Hurricane Dora, which was churning hundreds of miles south of Hawaii. The high winds brought by the hurricane combined with dry conditions on the island created hazardous fire weather conditions that led to the wildfires’ rapid spread.

Maui County officials announced late Wednesday that at least 36 people have been killed due to the wildfires in Lahaina Town. At least 271 structures were damaged or destroyed and dozens of people were left injured, officials said.

Some people took to the ocean to escape the flames, with the Coast Guard saying Wednesday that it had rescued 14 people off the shore of Lahaina.