Military personnel, coast guard continue to fight wildfires in Hawaii

Washington, Aug 17 (EFE).- Military, coast guard and civilian personnel of the United States Department of Defense were still fighting a deadly fire on the island of Maui, Hawaii, the Pentagon said Thursday.

At least 110 people have died as a result of the fire, according to figures provided Wednesday by the state’s governor, Josh Green.

The Pentagon is working closely with state officials and Federal Emergency Management Agency workers to support those affected, US Defense Department spokesman Gen. Patrick Ryder said.

“Altogether nearly 700 DoD personnel, active, reserve, guard and civilians, and 140 coast guard men are actively engaged in the coordinated response to the western Maui wildfire,” he mentioned.

The US Army Pacific Command is conducting six missions for FEMA, including transporting supplies and equipment by land and sea, he added.

The National Guard has already dropped about 189,000 gallons of water to support efforts to put out the blaze.

The full scale of the damage and death toll was still unknown as rescue teams have only managed to comb about 38% of the worst affected area on Maui, Green said.

So far they have managed to identify seven of the deceased, while 35 autopsies have been carried out, he added. EFE

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