Biden Heads to Maui as Wildfire Death Toll Climbs Higher

President Joe Biden on Monday is heading to Maui for his first visit since the wildfires that have killed over 100 people, started. He is flying to the islands from Lake Tahoe, Nev., where he was vacationing with his family.

First lady Jill Biden will be joining him in meeting survivors, local and federal officials, and emergency workers.

Beyond declaring it a federal emergency, which allows allocated public funds to flow to Maui, the White House has also asked Congress for $12 billion for disaster relief.

The president has been facing criticism for taking more than a week to visit the state after declaring federal emergency. Former FEMA director Michael Brown, who served during Hurricane Katrina, called Biden's response "infuriating," saying he should have been there sooner in order to have an actual grasp of the situation.

According to Democratic Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, more than 1,000 people are still unaccounted for and as of Sunday, 114 people have died.