In remarks given on Thursday, President Joe Biden said he had spoken with Hawaii governor Josh Green where he offered all available resources to the state.

Mr Biden said he had a “long” conversation with Mr Green to ensure Hawaii had all federal and state resources it needed in recovery.

“We offer our prayers, not just our prayers but every asset we have will be available,” Mr Biden said.

The President has also ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to “streamline” all requests.

Mr Biden appointed Maona Ngwira to coordinate federal recovery operations.

Wildfires raging out of control in Hawaii have claimed at least 36 lives, caused large numbers of burn and smoke inhalation injuries, knocked out 911 and cell services, forced residents to escape into the ocean, and destroyed hundreds of homes, officials say.

Bevan Hurley reports:

President Joe Biden declared the wildfire disaster in Hawaii to be a major disaster on Thursday, allowing for federal funding to become available to the state.

The funding can now be used for individuals to repair their homes or seek loans and for business owners to recover from the disaster.

“Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency protective measures in Maui County, and assistance for emergency protective measures for Hawaii County,” the handout says.

Federal coordinating officer of FEMA Maona Ngwira has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Though the islands of Hawaii are no stranger to some wildfires, the number of fires has increased exponentially over the past century due to human activity and an increase in invasive, flammable grasses, according to the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO).

“Nonnative grasslands and shrublands now cover nearly one quarter of Hawaii’s total land area and, together with a warming, drying climate and year round fire season, greatly increase the incidence of larger fires,” the HWMO wrote in a factsheet.

The HWMO estimates the average number of area burned per year in Hawaii has increased 400 per cent over the past century.

Wildfires in Maui, Hawaii have devastated over 270 structures and many resident’s homes.

As firefighters work to contain the fires and conduct recovery efforts, people are being asked to donate to the Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF) to assist in the costly recovery.

The fund, called the Maui Strong Fund, was created to provide resources for disaster preparedness, response and recovery. It is currently being used to support the communities affected by the wildfires.

“HCF will prioritize nonprofit organizations that are supporting community-based rapid response and recovery efforts. Funding will support evolving needs, including shelter, food, financial assistance, and other services as identified by our partners doing critical work on Maui,” a description of the fund reads.

To donate to the Hawai’i Community Fund and support Maui, click here.

The Maui Fire Department posted a safety guide for residents of Hawaii to follow as they clean up the debris left behind from the devastating wildfires.

Tips include wearing a hard hat, eye protection, hearing protection, gloves, long pants, a long shirt and steel-toed boots to protect parts of the body.

They also suggested wearing an N95 face mask or a respirator that provides more protection to prevent smoke and debris inhalation.

“Stay hydrated and avoid working in the hottest part of the day,” the Maui Fire Department wrote.

Nearly all of Maui is in a level one or level two drought intensity, according to the US Drought Monitor.

Approximately 16 per cent of the island was in “severe drought” making the area most susceptible to wildfires due to the dry vegetation.

This is an increase from the 5 per cent of Maui that experienced severe levels of drought last week.

The wildfires were whipped up by Hurricane Dora, a category 4 storm passing about 500 miles (804 kms) south of the Pacific Ocean archipelago, and a strong high pressure system to the north, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

“These strong winds coupled with low humidity levels are producing dangerous fire weather conditions that will last through Wednesday afternoon,” the NWS said.

The climate crisis has created warmer, dryer conditions that are increasing the risk and extent of wildfires across the western United States, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Conditions.

Wildfires have wrought havoc for years across the North American continent, especially in the US Southwest and Canada. But blazes of this magnitude have rarely, if ever, been seen in Hawaii.

Approximately 14,500 customers are without power in Maui, as of early Wednesday morning.

Hawaiian Electricity, the company that provides 95 per cent of Hawaii it’s power, asked customers in West Maui and Upcountry for “patience” as the wildfires rage on.

The company said customers should “plan for extended outages.”