Maui mayor says wildfire death toll may rise as rescue crews have yet to search inside burned buildings

More than 1,000 people are still unaccounted for in Maui

At least 67 people in Hawaii died as a result of the fast-moving and devastating wildfires that occurred this past week – but that number, as of Friday afternoon, is only based on people found outside of buildings.

Richard Bissen, the mayor of Maui, told TODAY that the death toll in Hawaii is based only on the number of people found outside.

Officials are awaiting rescue, search and recovery teams from FEMA to search the inside of buildings as they have better equipment.

“I think that number could go up, according to those who have been doing our recovery – our police department, our coast guard, our national guard the different groups that are helping us here on island – that was the number that they found people who were outside of the buildings,” Mr Bissen said.

“We have not yet searched in the interior of buildings. We’re waiting for FEMA to help with that search as they are equipped to handle the hazmat condition of the buildings that have been burned.”

State and federal assets, including search teams and cadaver dogs, arrived in Hawaii Thursday evening and Friday morning to help in recovery efforts.

Mr Bissen said at the moment they are focused on finding survivors as an estimated 1,000 people are unaccounted for.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green told reporters on Thursday that those unaccounted for are not presumed dead but have been left without communications and so their safety is unclear.

Residents and visitors of Maui had little time to prepare for evacuation when fast-moving wildfires hit the island on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Strong winds, partially brought on by a hurricane, caused the fires to move extremely quickly.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green, left, and Mayor Richard Bissen walk past the burned remains along Front Street in Lahaina (AP)

Locals described a chaotic and terrifying scene trying to escape the blaze with some people even jumping into the ocean to prevent being burned.

The fires, while somewhat less intense, have not been contained as of Friday morning. Firefighters from Honolulu and Maui are working to try and put out flare-ups are Lahaina – a historic town that was hit extremely hard.

Photos from Lahaina and Maui depict a devastating scene as ash and soot blanket much of the land and buildings. Several hundred structures have been completely burned down.

Mr Bissen said once the fires are contained they intend to rebuild.