Joe Biden pauses vacation as he heads to wildfire-ravaged Maui: Top updates

US president Joe Biden is set to visit Maui nearly two weeks after wildfires swept through the Hawaiian island. At least 114 people have been killed in the blaze that raged through Lahaina in west Maui on August 8 in a death toll that is still mounting. The US president will pause his vacation in Lake Tahoe to fly from Reno, Nevada, to Maui, alongside first lady Jill Biden, Reuters reported. They will take a helicopter tour of the burned-out areas and then visit the devastated Lahaina community to see the wildfire damage firsthand.

After the tour, Joe Biden will make remarks "paying respects to the lives lost and reflecting on the tragic, lasting impacts of these wildfires on survivors and the community," a White House official said as per Reuters.

Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election in 2024, has been criticized for his initial response to the Maui fires. The White House countered that the US president has been leading a "whole of government" effort to help Hawaii recover. Joe Biden himself said he did not want to travel to Maui until he was assured that he would not interfere with emergency response efforts.

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What has the White House said on Joe Biden's Maui visit?

Joe Biden will announce the appointment of FEMA Region 9 administrator Bob Fenton as the chief federal response coordinator to oversee a long-term federal recovery effort, a White House official said. He will also meet emergency responders, survivors and community members.

“I will do everything in my power to help Maui recover and rebuild from this tragedy. And throughout our efforts, we are focused on respecting sacred lands, cultures, and traditions,” Joe Biden said.

What's going on Maui?

Maui presents a challenge as the remains of some of the victims are still being recovered. There are also concerns among displaced Lahaina residents that developers will seek to buy them out, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell said that Joe Biden will reassure the residents that they will be in control of how they rebuild.

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