King Charles Expresses 'Sympathy' and 'Prayers' to Those Affected by 'Catastrophic' Hawaii Wildfires

"Our prayers remain with all those whose loved ones are missing and whose homes have been destroyed," the monarch said

King Charles is expressing his "sympathy" and "prayers" to those affected by the Hawaii wildfires.

In a message to President Joe Biden on Saturday, which was also shared on the Royal Family's official website, Charles, 74, began, "My wife and I were utterly horrified to hear of the catastrophic wildfires currently burning in Maui, Hawaii."

Noting how they "can only begin to imagine the scale of the devastation engulfing the island, and the heartrending anguish of those whose livelihoods have been so disastrously affected," the monarch then said that he and Queen Camilla "both wanted to send our deepest possible sympathy to the families of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and our prayers remain with all those whose loved ones are missing and whose homes have been destroyed."

"As the recovery effort continues, my special thoughts are with the extraordinarily brave emergency responders and Maui residents who are providing their support and assistance," the King concluded.

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Related: Everything to Know About the 2023 Hawaii Wildfires, Including Ways to Help the Victims

The King's message comes as the death toll in Maui, Hawaii, continues to rise, and as preliminary estimates of damages of the fire are set at over $1 billion.

Maui County reported that the number of fatalities in Lahaina rose to 80 as of 9 p.m. local time on Friday, up from 67 deaths reported earlier that day.

Firefighters are continuing to fight blazes and extinguish flare-ups in Lahaina, upcountry Maui and near Pulehu and Kihei, the county said in its latest press release.

President Biden, 80, previously approved the state of Hawaii’s disaster declaration, allowing additional federal funding to become available for people affected throughout the area.

Several large wildfires were first reported on the island on Tuesday, with the historic town of Lahaina — a residential and tourist destination that dates back to the 1700s — having received the bulk of the damage.

That area has since been blockaded by police due to hazards, including toxic particles from the burnt-down buildings, according to Maui County.

The total cost of damages from the Maui wildfires is estimated at $1.3 billion, according to a preliminary estimate by CoreLogic, which publishes reports on property data.

CoreLogic said the estimate is based on a total of 3,088 residential properties that have burned down in Lahaina, Pulehu and Pukalani. 

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