Wildfires: Biden To Visit Hawaii Amid Backlash Over Response

US President Joe Biden says he will travel to Hawaii as soon as he can amid criticism of his response to the island’s deadly wildfires.

Speaking in Milwaukee, Biden said he wanted to ensure that the people in the State had “everything they need”.

The death toll from the fires is now 101 with some 1,300 people missing.

Hawaii residents have complained about the pace of the Federal Government’s response to the disaster.

While at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, over the weekend, Biden was asked by a reporter about the rising death toll in Hawaii, and he responded: “No comment.”

The President said he had not yet visited because of concerns that doing so would divert resources and attention from the humanitarian response.

Jill Biden will accompany him to Hawaii, he added.

“I don’t want to get in the way. I’ve been to too many disaster areas.

I want to be sure we don’t disrupt ongoing recovery efforts,” Biden said.

Over 500 Federal Emergency personnel have so far been dispatched to help with relief efforts, including 150 search and rescue specialists.

Additional personnel are being sent to Maui to help those already on the ground, Biden added.

He said that “all available Federal assets” in the region would be used for recovery efforts, including the US Military and Coast Guard.

“It’s painstaking work. It takes time and it’s nerve wracking,” the President said.

The US Small Business Administration has also begun offering low-interest disaster loans to help local residents rebuild.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved one-time payments of $700 (£550) per household to help with immediate needs in the wake of the disaster.

“Every asset they need will be there for them.

And we’ll be there in Maui as long as it takes,”said Biden.

In a video update, Governor Josh Green said he and Biden were speaking “often” and would work out a time for the President to visit once “the heart-breaking work is done on the ground finding those we’ve lost”.

Officials in Hawaii have said they expect the death toll to rise in the coming days as more bodies are recovered from the worst hit parts of Maui.

Only 25% of the affected area has so far been searched for human remains.

Approximately 80% of Lahaina a town of about 12,000 residents was destroyed in the blaze.

BBC/AISHA