Authorities have now released the first names of individuals who lost their lives in the Maui wildfires, a week after the tragic event claimed the lives of at least 106 individuals on the Hawaiian island.

The names of two victims, Robert Dyckman (74) and Buddy Jantoc (79), have been disclosed.

Three additional victims have been identified, but their names are being held back until their families are informed.

Following the devastating fire that rapidly consumed the historic town of Lahaina, the search for victims has been a slow and arduous process.

Trained sniffer dogs have been instrumental in guiding teams through the debris-laden 5-mile (13 sq km) area, once home to Lahaina.

As of Tuesday evening, Governor Josh Green announced that only 27% of the disaster site had been searched, and he cautioned that the number of casualties might significantly increase, potentially even doubling, within the next 10 days.

The challenging task of identifying the deceased lies ahead for officials, made complicated by the severity of the victims' burns. This process necessitates DNA samples and forensic expertise.

It will be some time before the full extent of the devastation becomes clear, and the Maui Emergency Management Agency estimates a rebuilding cost of $5.52 billion (£4.3 billion).

"We have officials who don't even want to go back to the site, that's how devastating [it is]," said Maui resident Koa Kekahuna.

Many people told the BBC they were frustrated by the scale and speed of the recovery efforts.

One resident, Les Munn, said he had so far received $500 (£392) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) - less than the price of a night in most hotel rooms on the island.

For now, he is still sleeping in a shelter.

In Lahaina, once Hawaii's royal capital, people are relying on relief supplies coordinated by other Maui locals. Ice, water, clothing, and other supplies are being delivered by grassroots groups.

On Wednesday, the Honoapiilani Highway, the primary route into Lahaina, will open to non-residents for the first time since last Tuesday's fires. For days, the road has been closed even to residents who sat in long queues for hours hoping to get in.

The road will be open to everyone during the day, with late-night access limited to West Maui residents, employees, and first responders. Still, officials have asked that people travel to this part of the island only if necessary to live, work, or volunteer.

US President Joe Biden has said he will travel to Hawaii "as soon as he can" in the wake of criticism over the federal government's response. He was asked by a reporter over the weekend about the rising death toll in Hawaii and responded: "No comment."

The president's apparent delay in visiting Maui, as well as that remark, has angered many locals, who told the BBC they see his absence as a slap in the face.

"Hey Mr President, how about Hawaii?" said Chaymen Enomoto. "'No comment'? That is a big screw you."

Fire

Oh Fire, what a tragedy, God is great.

Bad