Hawaii Governor Declares Emergency in Maui County on Wildfire

(Bloomberg) -- Hawaii Governor David Ige declared the County of Maui a disaster area following a “massive wildfire,” according to an official statement.

The proclamation will help facilitate implementation of emergency-management functions and to authorize expenditure of state funds to support relief efforts, Ige said.

The wildfire started on Thursday in central Maui and quickly burned out of control. The fire is about 20% contained and has so far damaged at least 9,000 acres of former sugar-cane lands and brush, according to the statement.

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