Since last week, the islands of Hawai’i have been affected by wildfires that were compounded by winds from Hurricane Dora. These wildfires continue to burn and suppression efforts are ongoing. The situation in Hawai’i is a stark reminder of the devastating effects wildfire can have on communities and the challenges firefighters face as they work to contain these and other fires across the country. Our gratitude goes out to all emergency responders who are doing their part in Hawai’i.

Watching the news from afar is heartbreaking. The death toll from the wildfires in Maui, Hawai'i, is over 100 and continues to rise. The wildfire in Lahaina now joins the list as one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. More than 1,300 people are still missing. I want the people of Hawai'i to know that our thoughts are with them during this difficult time, and we will do all we can to help.

Thankfully at this time, all employees on the islands are accounted for, though some have experienced difficult losses. To support them, we are deploying a Critical Incident Stress Management Team to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to provide mental and emotional support in the aftermath of this traumatic event.

We continue to learn more as communication from Maui increases and more response systems engage. We want to provide support in any way possible, as identified and requested by the government and people of Hawai’i.

We mobilized in support of FEMA at the outset of this tragic disaster and stand ready to bring our resources in service to those impacted communities and landscapes.

We will continue to work with FEMA to mobilize any requested resources to support Hawai’i. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations is prepared to mobilize for any public safety needs, and we have a Burned Area Emergency Response Team on standby to assist in long-term recovery by minimizing post-fire impacts to people, infrastructure and natural resources. Across USDA, we are activating a National Incident Management Organization to coordinate efforts across all USDA agencies to support recovery efforts in Hawai’i.

Recovery from these wildfires will not be easy or swift. As an organization committed to our core values of service and interdependence, we will do everything we can to help the people of Hawai’i.

Mahalo.

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