The death toll from the Lahaina fire remains at 115, but Maui County and the Maui Police Department announced four more victims Sunday.
Police released the names of Nicholas Turbin III, 71; Anthony “Tony” Simpson, 43; Glenda Yabes, 48; and John “Thumper” McCarthy, 74.
“MPD and assisting partners have been working tirelessly to ensure that proper protocols are followed while notifying the families of the victims involved,” the county said Sunday in a statement. “Our priority is to handle this situation with the utmost sensitivity and respect for those who are grieving.”
As of Sunday, 54 victims had been identified and their families notified, while four have been identified but their families have not been located or notified.
On Sunday, Maui firefighters had finally encircled the Lahaina fire nearly five weeks after it killed 115 people.
The fire was considered 100% contained but continued to burn after destroying an estimated 2,170 acres and more than 2,000 structures, most of them homes.
Maui County reported Sunday that the Kula fire was 95% contained with an estimated 202 acres burned and that the Olinda fire was 90% contained with an estimated 1,081 acres burned.
In a statement, the Maui Fire Department said, “Although containment percentages have not changed over recent days, MFD continues to reassure the public there are no active threats among the three ongoing fires.”
The Lahaina disaster area remains off limits to nonauthorized personnel, with Maui County continuing to warn that dangers include “ash that may contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals with debris including broken glass, exposed electrical wire, and other objects. Unstable structures may contain hazardous materials and could collapse, causing injury.”
People who are eventually allowed to return should wear personal protective equipment. For more information, visit a state Department of Health page on precautions for those who return to their properties, at bit.ly/WestMauiCaution.
Water also remains contaminated in parts of Lahaina and Kula and cannot be treated to make it safe for consumption.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to survey, remove and dispose of hazardous materials that could include compressed gas cylinders, pesticides, fertilizers and ammunition, lithium-ion batteries and home solar battery storage units. As of Saturday, EPA had completed work on 197 parcels.
Survivors of the Lahaina fire continued to apply for federal aid, with 13,122 registering and FEMA approving $19,109.442 to people.
The increasing number of applicants as of Saturday night belies online efforts to discourage applications to FEMA, alleging they would allow the government to seize private land.
FEMA on Sunday also reminded idled workers that they can apply for state unemployment benefits by Sept. 25 by filing a Disaster Unemployment Assistance claim at uiclaims.hawaii.gov or by calling 833-901-2272, 833-901-2275, 808-762-5751 or 808-762-5752.
Benefits cover Aug. 13 to Feb. 10 for workers who suffered job losses directly related to the fire.
Hawaiian Electric announced Sunday that its crews are restoring electricity to West Maui businesses in West Maui but offered no specifics.
Hawaiian Electric was installing “temporary poles, some of which were shipped from Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu, with more expected in the coming weeks” in Lahaina, it said in a news release.
“As the Maui community discusses what the future of its energy delivery system will look like, overhead poles are being used as an interim solution in order for customers in Lahaina to safely receive electricity,” the company said.
Hawaiian Electric on Sunday said it would not provide any additional information in response to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.