10 things you need to know today: August 11, 2023

President Biden declares a major disaster as Hawaii's fire death toll rises, Iran moves 4 Americans from prison to house arrest in potential prisoner swap, and more

The remnants of burnt homes and streets devastated by fires in Hawaii
The death toll from fires reached at least 55 people in historic Lahaina in western Maui
(Image credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

1. Biden signs major disaster declaration for fire-ravaged Hawaii

President Biden declared a major disaster in Hawaii to provide "significant relief" to communities devastated by unprecedented wildfires that have ravaged Maui and the Big Island. The death toll reached at least 55 people in historic Lahaina in western Maui, and was expected to rise. The fires, fueled by winds from a passing hurricane, destroyed hundreds of buildings, forced thousands of people to flee their homes, and overwhelmed hospitals with burn victims. "Recovering from these devastating fires will take significant time and resources, and we need all the federal support we can get," U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said in a statement announcing the declaration. Gov. Josh Green's office said the disaster declaration would make federal funds available to people affected on Maui.

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.