Biden approves Hawaii disaster declaration
CNN, ALAN DICKAR, TMX, MARJORIE ST. CLAIR, FACEBOOK, GOVERNOR JOSH GREEN, JEFF MELICHAR, CLINT HANSEN OF MAUI REAL ESTATE RADIO, KGMB, KHNL, COUNTY OF MAUI, AIR MAUI HELICOPTERS
By Priscilla Alvarez and Betsy Klein, CNN
(CNN) — President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration for Hawaii and “ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires,” according to the White House.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help with recovery.
Biden spoke by phone Thursday with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, the White House said, to discuss devastating wildfires across several parts of the Big Island and Maui.
“He expressed his deep condolences for the lives lost and vast destruction of land and property,” the White House said in a statement to pool reporters.
Earlier Thursday, the White House said the administration is “working very closely with Hawaii” as the state struggles with devastating wildfires that have left dozens of people dead.
“We’re working very closely with Hawaii, Hawaii and official … we’re also deploying some military assets FEMA personnel on the ground,” National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications Jon Kirby told CNN’s Poppy Harlow. “We’re going to focus on this as keenly and as sharply as we can.”
A White House official told CNN that Hawaii has asked for shelter supplies from Federal Emergency Management Agency, including water, food, cots and blankets. FEMA Region 9 Administrator Bob Fenton and his team are in Oahu, and he has mobilized an Incident Management Assistance Team to help with the federal response, the official added.
The White House statement said, “President Biden confirmed he signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Hawaii that will deliver additional federal resources and support on top of the actions already underway by FEMA, the National Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other federal agencies to support the emergency response.”
This story has been updated with additional developments.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
