A 66-year-old man sent a photo of the fire raging through Maui to his family as he evacuated the area Wednesday.

They have not heard from him since.

Brittany Talley said she last heard from her grandfather, Timm
Brittany Talley said she last heard from her grandfather, Timm “TK” Williams Sr., Wednesday afternoon while evacuating the Kaanapali area. (Courtesy of Brittany Talley)

Brittany Talley told CNN that she and her family are waiting to hear from her grandfather, Timm “TK” Williams Sr., who was last heard from Wednesday afternoon while evacuating the Kaanapali area.

Williams shared a photo with the family as he drove away from the area, but couldn’t say exactly where he was because there was too much smoke.

“I was trying to get to a shelter, but all the roads were blocked,” Talley said.

Williams is a disabled veteran who uses both a wheelchair and forearm crutches, according to Talley. “He wouldn’t be able to run or move quickly if he had to,” she said.

Talley says that they are still exhausting all options to contact him and that they are praying for his return.

This is the last photo that Timm
This is the last photo Timm “TK” Williams Sr. sent to his family, according to his granddaughter, Brittany Talley. (Courtesy of Brittany Talley/Timm “TK” Williams Sr.)

“It’s been tough. Every minute that goes by is another minute that I could be hurt (or) in danger,” Talley said.

3 hours ago
Maui mayor says Lahaina ‘disappeared’
An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023 shows destroyed homes and burned-out buildings in Lahaina after wildfires in West Maui (Credit: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images)
An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023 shows destroyed homes and burned-out buildings in Lahaina after wildfires in West Maui (Credit: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images)

The heart of Lahaina, the Maui community hardest hit by the wildfires, has been completely devastated, the county mayor said Thursday.

“Everything is gone,” Mayor Richard Bissen said. “There is nothing left. Everything is burned.”

The official said the winds appeared to be coming from Mauka to Makai and detailed structures in the area that will not be able to recover.

“Everything is destroyed,” he said of one area of Lahaina.

Authorities did not update the death toll in Lahaina, which had stood at 53 as of early Thursday afternoon, saying they are still trying to determine how many people are missing.

“We are going to do everything in our power to identify the deceased so that families can have closure,” Bissen said.

4 hours ago
Authorities on Maui still don’t know how many people are missing
By Elizabeth Wolfe
Authorities on Maui have not yet determined how many people are still missing on the island, Police Chief John Pelletier said.

“Honestly, we don’t know,” he pointed out. “This is the challenge: there is no electricity. There is no internet. There is no radio coverage.”

These widespread communication outages have made it incredibly difficult for teams on the ground to relay information to officials and contact residents who may need rescue, Pelletier explained at a news conference Thursday.

The police chief directed families who have yet to hear from their loved ones to a family assistance center at the Kahului Community Center.

5 hours ago
Maui to rebuild will cost billions of dollars and take many years, Hawaii governor says
Wildfire-ravaged Maui will take many years and cost billions of dollars to repair and rebuild, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has warned.

“It will take time to know the full scope, but it will be in the billions of dollars, no doubt,” he said. “First we focus on the lives lost, which is why we are so heartbroken.”

The governor added, “For perspective, it will take many years to rebuild Lahaina,” noting that the full extent of the damage “will surprise us.”

“Virtually all of those buildings will have to be rebuilt. It will be a new Lahaina that Maui builds in its own image and with its own values,” Green completed.

5 hours ago
Hawaii’s governor says thousands will need shelter after wildfires ravage the island
Thousands of people will need housing in Hawaii following the unprecedented wildfires that ravaged the island this week, according to the state’s governor, Josh Green.

At a press conference on Thursday, Green stated that the state’s intention is to initially seek 2,000 rooms to cover housing needs.

“That will mean reaching out to all of our hotels and those in the community,” he said.

Green appealed