Austin Texas News

There are mounting questions in Hawaii about how the Maui wildfires started and what caused them to spread so quickly. State officials are investigating and residents say they’re angry over the government’s response. CBS News national correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti reports.

Photos of Maui before and after the fires show the extent of their destruction to Lahaina’s real estate and infrastructure.

Austin and Travis County declared a disaster on Tuesday as the risk of wildfires continues. Mayor Kirk Watson and Travis County Judge Andy Brown said the move helps expedite the process for receiving aid. “A disaster declaration helps us to be further prepared in the event of a wildfire and in the event of wildfire damage,” Watson said. “It allows us to be able to move quickly to access necessary resources to help with any…

The declaration will also help the city access resources during fires. AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin and Travis County are now under a wildfire disaster declaration. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson made the declaration during a press conference on Tuesday. Watson said a disaster declaration helps the city better prepare for wildfires and wildfire damage. The declaration will also help the city access resources during fires. Watson is encouraging everyone to be extra vigilant…

“We had no updates from 1 p.m. on,” Hawaii restaurateur Caleb Hopkins says of last week’s wildfire in Maui. At 1, Hopkins says, he was told the fire on the island was 100% contained, but a few hours later he was racing for his life with his family. “We got away just in time,” Hopkins told CBS News.

The Maui wildfires were the deadliest in a century, with 99 confirmed killed and hundreds more missing. Thousands also lost their homes and pieces of Hawaii’s history are gone forever. Lana Zak has a closer look at the cost of the devastation.

Maui resident Pamela Reader escaped with her husband and two daughters but lost her house in last week’s wildfire. She said one of her friends still cannot locate his parents. Reader joined CBS News to discuss how people on the island are doing.

The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry program helps emergency officials in your county determine where you are and what you need during natural disasters. AUSTIN, Texas — Austin and Travis County leaders are encouraging residents to apply for a program designed to help out individuals in need during natural disasters. The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) is a free registry that provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional information on the…

“The thing about it is though, thoughts and prayers in a moment like this are not enough,” the former president, who grew up in Honolulu, said.

Deadly wildfires on Maui​ have left at least 99 dead and the historic town of Lahaina destroyed​.

East of the Lahaina disaster, firefighters are still battling blazes that have claimed 19 homes.

Ninety-nine people are now confirmed to have died in last week’s Hawaii wildfires with hundreds more still missing. Gov. Josh Green told CBS News Monday that crews might recover 10 to 20 people a day as the search of Maui continues. CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti reports on what’s being learned about conditions before the fire.

Professional surfer Kai Lenny has stepped up to help recovery efforts as frustrations mount over the government’s response to the wildfires that swept through Maui last week.

“CBS Mornings” co-host Tony Dokoupil speaks with two families who lost their homes in the Lahaina wildfires. Both families say that what survived is worth so much more.

As the confirmed death toll is expected to rise a week after Maui’s devastating wildfires, new questions are being raised about whether downed power lines could be to blame, and whether the utility could have shut down electricity amid fierce winds. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.