In a statement made by the Maui Regional Government yesterday, "Today, Mayor Richard Bissen accepted the resignation of Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) President Herman Andaya. Andaya submitted his resignation, citing health reasons, effective immediately."

"Given the severity of the crisis we face, my team and I will bring someone into this key position as soon as possible and I look forward to making that announcement soon," Mayor Bissen said.

IF SIRENS HAD SOUNDED, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE RUN TOWARDS THE FLAMING MOUNTAINS

Herman Andaya was heavily criticised for not sounding emergency sirens in the region after the flames combined with strong winds and covered a large area in a short time. Andaya, in his statement on the subject, stated that if the sirens sounded, people would run towards the mountainous areas where there was a forest fire but no sirens were sounding and they would be directly in the flames.

The siren system in Hawaii was established after the great tsunami disaster in 1946. Authorities also announced yesterday that 58 per cent of the region had been examined and the death toll had risen to 111.