Christina Hall Reveals Her Parents Evacuated Maui as Hawaii Wildfire Death Toll Rises to 80

Christina Hall says her parents evacuated the Lahaina area in Maui, Hawaii, after devastating wildfires ravaged the area earlier this week, killing at least 80 people and displacing hundreds of others.

The HGTV star, 40, shared a Facebook post from her parents on her Instagram Story Friday, in which they gave an update on their location and well-being.

In the post, Hall’s parents noted that they “relocated to Kihei” — another city in Maui located approximately 23 miles south of Lahaina — adding, “We are safe, have electricity and a place to stay.”

“While in the Lahaina area, we didn’t have electricity, internet, tv and only limited cell service,” they continued. “Didn’t realize the extent of the devastation until this morning when I could see a bit of internet.”

Christina Hall shared her parent’s Facebook post about relocating from the Lahaina area after a wildfire ravaged Lahaina Town.

Christina Hall/Instagram

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

It is currently unclear whether or not Hall’s parents had lived in Lahaina or had just been visiting at the time of the wildfires.

A representative for Hall declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE for clarification.

Elsewhere in their post, Hall’s parents discussed the impact of the wildfires in the area and shared photos they appeared to have taken of burnt-down buildings in the area.

“The whole area of Lahaina Town is gone,” the pair wrote. “People from hotel areas are lined up by the hundreds to get on the buses that are transporting them to the airport. There is no electricity in the Lahaina area, stores and restaurants are closed. So many people have lost their homes.”

“It took us a couple of tries to get road access out. We made it,” they concluded. “It is such a tragedy.”

An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023 shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty

Over the post, Hall wrote that she is “grateful” her parents “are ok” and sent her well wishes to those who were affected by the wildfires.

“What’s happened there is beyond devastating,” she said. “My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by these horrible fires.”

Oprah Winfrey Makes Donations and Helps Residents amid ‘Overwhelming’ Hawaii Wildfires

On Friday evening, Maui County reported that 13 additional fatalities had been confirmed in Lahaina Town — considered one of the biggest communities on the west side of the island — bringing the death toll up from a previously reported 67 to 80. 

“The whole town was on fire,” recalled Maui resident Keao Shaw, 39, to PEOPLE. “It was just an inferno, black smoke everywhere.”

An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023 shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty

While Shaw, who runs a charter boat business in Maui, may have escaped the wildfire with his family, he told PEOPLE he ultimately lost his house and the memories that came with it. 

“All [my son’s] favorite things are gone,” Shaw said. “But everything is replaceable. Everything is rebuildable — it’s just going to take time.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Following the tragedy, President Joe Biden approved the state of Hawaii’s disaster declaration on Thursday, allowing federal funding to become available for people affected throughout the area. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra also declared a public health emergency for the state, allowing for healthcare providers and supplies to be made more readily available.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education