SEATTLE, Wash. — The confirmed death toll in Maui has surpassed 100, according to Gov. Josh Green in a video address Tuesday.
“We are heartsick that we’ve had such loss,” he said.
Still, that number’s expected to rise significantly, and thousands remain displaced from their homes.
When Alex Gleason, the former executive chef of Mbar in South Lake Union, decided to move from Seattle to Maui this spring, he did not anticipate that his skills would end up potentially saving lives.
"About 15 of our staff has completely lost everything," said Gleason, who is now the Sous Chef at Merriman's Kapalua on Maui.
For this reason, when power went out on Maui amid the wildfires last week, leaving their restaurant's kitchen in the dark, Gleason sprung into action.
"Immediately, my first thought is we have to get, we have to get this food out," said Gleason.
He went outside and improvised.
"We all got together, loaded up the charcoal grill and the propane grills and just started cranking out as much food as we possibly could," said Gleason.
The restaurant soon saw lines of about 50 displaced people at a time, queued up for free hot meals.
Gleason said they have served about 1,000 meals per day since then-- and not the canned stuff served in the disaster relief areas.
"Mahi-mahi, and Kampachi and swordfish, and steak and shrimp and scallops," said Gleason. "It was all stuff that we would normally serve in the restaurant. So really, really nice food, and really nice dessert."
Gleason's place of work, Merriman's Kapalua, is located about ten miles north of the Lahaina fire. His restaurant staff have been volunteering their time to make deliveries across the island in recent days, he said.
"We have staff members driving around town, to people's homes," said Gleason.
Gleason’s own home was spared in the fires, as was the restaurant.
He is relieved that his full staff has all been accounted for, but as of the latest update, 70% of the burn area has yet to be searched, so Gleason’s preparing for the worst.
The Maui Police Department said the names and ages of some people who died in the fires will be shared after their families are notified.
In the meantime, KING 5 asked Gleason how he feels that Washingtonians can help.
In the short term, Gleason said direct monetary support on donor sites like theirs, or on verified crowdfunding sites, will really help.
He added that Maui is built on tourism.
"After this is over, come back. Please come to the restaurants that are still here. The staff who lost everything need their jobs back. They need to work, and we want to work, and we want to feed you, but you know we need to provide for ourselves as well. So bringing tourism back at the right time is going to be critical for the survival of West Maui," he said.
Watch an extended interview with Gleason here: