President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Maui, Hawaii, on Monday after wildfires on the island have killed more than 100 people.
“In Maui, the President and First Lady will be welcomed by state and local leaders to see firsthand the impact of the wildfires and the devastating loss of life and land on the island, as well as the next steps in recovery. to discuss. effort,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Wednesday.
The president plans to meet with first responders and survivors, as well as federal, state and local officials in Maui, she said. Last week, Biden passed a major disaster declaration for Hawaii to release federal aid to support the island.
Biden said on Tuesday that he and the first lady would come “as soon as possible.” “I talked to the governor about that. I don’t want to get in the way,” he said.
The wildfires have killed 106 people since Tuesday. According to officials, 85 percent of the blaze in the historic town of Lahaina on the island of Maui has been contained since the fires began last week.
The catastrophic fire has led to mass evacuations and widespread power outages, affecting thousands of people. It is the country’s deadliest wildfire in a century.
