0llie, thank you so much forjoining us, especially under these circumstances. Now, i understand youve been able to flee these fires. Just bring us up to date in terms of what took place, what happened and how youre coping where are you now . Yeah, so i am now in a small village called fort simpson, which is about 630 kilometres west of yellowknife. It probably sounds like a huge distance it really isnt in Northwest Territories terms. This place is twice the size of france, its got 16,000 people in it, so vast scales that were talking about. This is essentially three communities to the left of yellowknife. And you can just hear a float plane into the distance, by the way. This is the Mackenzie River behind me. Yellowknife under a full Evacuation Order, as you probably heard, yesterday. We came out here a day before because, to be frank, the writing has been on the wall for days that that wildfire was going to pose a grave threat. What were you seeing that led you to think, hey, i better
This pilot, hovering above a swimming pool, now being used to douse the flames further down the hill. These homes, some distance from the destroyed coastal town of lahaina, are in the centre of the island where, last week, just before the fires, the cameras at this Bird Sanctuary captured a bright flash. Staff believe it is a tree falling on a powerline. Shortly afterwards, flames can be seen in the forest. Ross hart saw something similar before his home burned down. We could hear some trees falling here and there in the distance. One big one fell here on the bridge and it knocked over the powerlines. And then you saw the house. You could see it burn . I saw it begin to burn and they wouldnt let me stay to watch it. They were dragging me out because the embers were starting to come over my truck and stuff. Questions are now being asked about whether lives might have been saved. Should mauis power grid have been turned off . Could more have been done to Sound The Alarm . For many of tho
Questions are also being asked about whether power to the island should have been cut. For more, heres our correspondent in hawaii, sophie long. This is what remains of lahaina. Cars abandoned as people ran and jumped into the sea to escape the flames. Homes and businesses reduced to charred remains. President biden promised immediate help and said every available asset should be used to provide it, but, days later, people here say its not yet reaching those most in need and people like felicia are desperately trying to get supplies into lahaina themselves. Im frustrated. People are. Were all together. Were one family, we need to take care of each other. No one s feeding everyone. Theyre traumatised. Theyre upset. No one s giving hugs. They need mental help. What do you need for me . To hear people in the same pads since the fire on thursday. Kids in the same diapers since thursday. People without food. They havent drank since before the fire. What are we doing . Hundreds of thousands
herman andaya had come underfierce criticism for his handling of the disaster amid questions over why maui s emergency sirens were not used at the height of the crisis. maui s county mayor vowed to look for a replacement as quickly as possible. meanwhile, the search for victims continues. at least 111 are now confirmed dead. crews are searching some 2,000 burnt businesses and homes but the job is not yet even 50 percent complete. while the exact cause of the wildfires is being investigated, mounting evidence shows downed power lines could have played a role. here s the bbc sjohn sudworth. maui s fight continues. this pilot hovering above a swimming pool now being used to douse the flames further down the hill. these homes, some distance from the destroyed coastal town of lahaina, are in the centre of the island where,
in hawaii, where maui has been dealing with the aftermath of devastating wildfires, the island s emergency management chief resigned on thursday, citing health concerns. herman andaya had come under fierce criticism for his handling of the disaster, amid questions over why maui s emergency sirens were not used at the height of the crisis. maui s county mayor vowed to look for a replacement as quickly as possible. meanwhile, the search for victims continues. at least 111 are now confirmed dead. crews are searching some 2,000 burnt businesses and homes, but the job is not yet even 50% complete. while the exact cause of the wildfires is being investigated, mounting evidence shows downed power lines could have played a role. here s the bbc sjohn sudworth. maui s fight continues.