Austin Texas News

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.

In the wake of the wildfire disaster, the small but mighty community in Maui is coming together to help those in need. CBS News’ Rudabeh Shahbazi reports. Plus, Alice Lee, chair of the Maui County Council, joins CBS News to discuss the community’s response to the tragedy and give an update on the current state of search and rescue efforts.

The death toll from the Maui wildfires is continuing to climb as recovery crews work their way through hundreds of homes. More than 2,700 structures have been flattened in what is now the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over 100 years. CBS News’ Jonathan Vigliotti and “CBS Evening News” anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell report.

The wildfires in Maui have taken the lives of nearly 100 people and the livelihoods of countless others. Local officials estimate tourism accounts for roughly 80% of the island’s economy, with 1.5 million visitors spending $3.47 billion in the first half of 2023. James Tokioka, director of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, joins CBS News to discuss the financial impact of the wildfires and what the biggest priority is for rebuilding.

“CBS Evening News” anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell reflects on the beauty and resiliency of Maui and the people who live there, even in the wake of disaster.

Hawaii residents are concerned about storms that could be headed their way as Maui residents are still learning the scope of the damage from last week’s wildfires. The Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Bettes looks at those storms and another system threatening the Northeast.

Longtime Hawaii resident Oprah Winfrey has been providing aid and emotional support in the wake of the devastating wildfires that ravaged Maui. “CBS Mornings” co-anchor Tony Dokoupil joined Winfrey outside a Maui shelter to speak with locals about what they’re going through.

courtesy of Austin Food Adventures The deadliest wildfire in more than a century has devastated Lahaina, Maui, killing 96 people and damaging or destroying more than 2,000 structures. More than 1,400 people were displaced by the fires, and FEMA and other aid organizations are working to get them into temporary housing. When a disaster like this happens, our natural instinct is to want to help and express our support for our fellow humans (and our…

Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a wildfire disaster declaration for about 75% of Texas counties, allowing them to use all available state resources to respond to any new fires as the state continues to bake under triple-digit temperatures. The declaration was issued Friday as wildfires continue to spark across the state: The Texas A&M Forest Service, which monitors wildfire conditions, reports that at least 8,500 acres of Texas land have burned since Aug. 1. The…

The famous tree is “still breathing” – even as ash and rubble cover the world around it.

Many Maui residents are saying they received no warning from emergency officials prior to last week’s deadly fires. Now Hawaii’s attorney general is investigating the state’s response. CBS’s Jessica Kartalija has more.

Oprah Winfrey has been visiting the largest evacuee shelter in Maui County.

In Maui, “CBS Mornings” co-host Tony Dokoupil speaks with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green about the wildfires and the continued search for victims.