Hawaii wildfires: Death toll rises to 89, search for the missing continues. 10 updates

Hawaii wildfires are the deadliest wildfire in the US since the 2018 Camp Fire in California that killed at least 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise. The fire went from zero to 100 and essentially managed to "eat an entire town in four hours".

Here are 10 points you should know Hawaii Wildfire: 

1) Hawaii Governor Josh Green has said that the number of confirmed deaths from Maui wildfires has gone up to 89, making it the deadliest wildfire in more than 100 years in the US. 

2) The Governor added that the death toll is further expected to go up and some victims were positively identified on Saturday. He noted that around 2,200 structures have been destroyed or damaged in West Maui with 86 percent of them being residential buildings. 

3) Governor Green said that officials will review policies and procedures for improving safety. He said, “People have asked why we are reviewing what’s going on and it’s because the world has changed. A storm now can be a hurricane-fire or a fire-hurricane…That’s what we experienced, that’s why we’re looking into these policies, to find out how we can best protect our people.”

4) US National Weather Service has said that Hurricane Dora was partly to be blamed for the strong winds that drove the flames initially leading to power being knocked out and firefighting helicopters getting grounded, reported AP. 

5) Hawaii Tourism Authority has said that around 46,000 residents and visitors have flown out of West Maui's Kahului Airport since the start of devastation in the historic resort city of Lahaina. 

6) “In the weeks ahead, the collective resources and attention of the federal, state and county government, the West Maui community, and the travel industry must be focused on the recovery of residents who were forced to evacuate their homes and businesses,” Hawaii Tourism Authority said in a statement quoted by AP. 

7) As per Maui County estimates, over 80 percent of the structures in Lahaina were damaged or destroyed and around 4,500 residents are in need of shelter. 

8) Hawaii wants to work with Airbnb to ensure that rental homes are available for locals. The  Governor hopes that Airbnb can provide homes with three to nine-month rentals available. 

9) Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono while speaking at CNN's ‘State of Union’ on Sunday said that the Attorney General has launched a review as to why there were no warning signs alerting people to the danger around the wildfires which would have allowed people to flee before the flames consumed the town.

10) The Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu urged the people who were reeling from the effects of the wildfires to not give up hope. Parishioners across Hawaii churches mourned for the dead and prayed for the missing on Sunday.

(With inputs from AP)