'Many tragic stories': Hawaii governor says Maui fire death toll could double or triple: Aug. 14 recap

LAHAINA, Hawaii − The death toll from the Lahaina fire could double or even triple from the current total of 99, according to Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, adding to what is already the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

In a recorded interview with “CBS Mornings” that aired Monday, Green indicated the number of fatalities is likely to increase considerably. Green later confirmed 99 deaths at a news conference Monday.

“We are prepared for many tragic stories,” Green told CBS. “They will find 10 to 20 people per day, probably, until they finish. And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really.”

His estimate of 10 to 20 bodies found daily over a 10-day stretch would put the death count at around 200 to 300.

In a video posted on social media late Sunday, Green said more than 2,700 structures were destroyed in Lahaina and an estimated value of $5.6 billion "has gone away." The Lahaina fire was one of multiple blazes that began burning Tuesday on Maui.

Green said the "fire hurricane," which he said was new in the age of global warming, was the "ultimate reason" the death toll has been so high.”

Starting Tuesday, authorities will begin releasing the names of those who died amid the blaze, Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier said at the news conference. Names of people will not be released until their families have been notified.

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Developments:

◾Green said Federal Emergency Management Agency has 416 people working in Hawaii, including Administrator Deanne Criswell. The agency has provided dozens of searchers and 20 dogs to aid the search for human remains in Lahaina, the governor said.

◾The total of missing people in Maui has dwindled from more than 2,000 to about 1,300 as cellphone service has slowly been restored, according to Green.

◾Green said Monday that nearly 2,000 housing units have been secured, including 402 hotel rooms, 1,400 units from Airbnb starting Tuesday, and that 160 residents have opened up their own homes to families in need.

◾The Upcountry/Kula fire that sprawled about 678 acres was 60% contained, Maui officials said in a statement late Sunday. Maui County said the fire destroyed at least 19 homes. The Lahaina fire, estimated to stretch across 2,170 acres, is 85% contained, according to officials.

◾As of Monday, Pelletier said 25% of the area affected by the fire has been searched. He said the aim is to search 85 to 90% of the area by the weekend. Search efforts started with one dog, he said, and there are now 20.

'It's heartbreaking':Without food and fuel, Maui locals lean on neighbors to survive

Fire thought to be extingished likely cause of tragedy, governor says

In his Sunday night video, Green pointed to a blaze that authorities “deemed to be out” and roared to back to life as the likely source of the inferno that wiped away historic Lahaina, although the cause is still under investigation.

"It must have not been completely extinguished," Green said, adding flames were then fanned by winds of up to 81 mph. “With those kinds of winds and 1,000-degree temperatures, ultimately all the pictures that you will see will be easy to understand."

Green said a comprehensive review will be conducted in the wake of frustrations that sirens and other warnings did not reach or alert residents to the fires. Because the fire was moving so fast, up to a mile a minute, Green said “it’s unlikely that much could have been done except, of course, moving people out before, and that’s what we’ll talk about.”

FEMA seeking housing options for short and long term

As search crews make their way through what Criswell called “extremely hazardous’’ conditions from the Lahaina fire, the agency is also grappling with finding accommodations for displaced survivors in a state with a longstanding housing shortage that has been exacerbated by the disaster.

In addition to paying for lodging at specified hotels and motels for a certain amount of time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is working with Green on a plan to help provide survivors housing options beyond their immediate needs, Criswell said Monday at a news briefing from Hawaii.

“Whether that means longer term we bring in tiny houses or our transitional housing units to help him create the communities that he wants,’’ she said. “We're not taking anything off the table and we're going to be very creative in how we use our authorities to help build these communities and help people find a place to stay for the longer term.’’

Criswell declined to estimate how long the search-and-recovery mission might last, citing the difficulty of an operation that requires for engineers to assess the stability of structures before cadaver-sniffing dogs and crews can go in.

“The dogs can only work so long because of how hot the temperatures are,’’ she said. “There's also hot spots, and so we have fire crews that are helping to cool down the areas so the dogs can go in there. I’d hate to give an exact estimate because we want to make sure that we are precise and methodical and respectful as we go through this.’’

Upcomin rain presents its own hardship

In Lahaina, where donations are pouring in to help some of those most impacted by the wildfires, volunteers and residents are scrambling to protect their resources and homes before the expected arrival of rain Monday night. Tropical Storm Greg will pass hundreds of miles to the south Thursday and Friday and is expected to have "no direct impacts in the state,'' according to the National Hurricane Center, but the forecast calls for showers and breezy conditions in west Maui most of the week.Last week, winds gusts caused in part by passing Hurricane Dora helped fuel the flames in Maui. The upcoming rain may help tamp them down but still presents some hardships.Before the fires ignited on Maui, Andrea Fausett, 29, was the creator of a women’s fitness app who organized trail races for women. Now, she’s become the de facto distribution coordinator, responsible for doling out medical supplies, food and anything else that gets flown into the Kapalua West Maui Airport.As a helicopter whirred in the background Sunday, she said her focus has turned to the incoming storm.“So now one of our biggest issues that we're working to solve today before it becomes an issue is how to protect all of our supplies that are sitting out in the open right now,” she said. “And so that's like our next hurdle. I feel like every day it changes.”Father and son Nelson and Wilson Simpliciano worked Sunday to quickly repair their roof, which was damaged by the strong winds last week. The wind already appeared to be picking up, and the elder Simpliciano said he’s worried rain could cause a leak. He wanted to get a tarp down to cover the exposed wood before he leaves the island.“It’s just gonna get worse,” Simpliciano said.

Residents find government efforts lacking, seek to help each other

Maui residents are banding together to help each other through the tragedy, trying to provide food, fuel and other resources to those in the worst-hit areas, including the hundreds of people who lost their homes.

They're finding the task complicated by law enforcement road closures and slow communication from a government some accuse of failing to adequately warn them about the fires, which has prompted the locals to create their own aid systems to provide shelter and other necessities.