A week after Hawaii wildfire disaster, Maui's displaced grow restless

He said some of the local frustration stemmed from the longstanding perception that Maui does not receive enough attention from the state government despite its robust tourism revenues.

Mary Kerstulovich, a Maui real estate agent who has sought supplies and housing for evacuees, said there was finally a sense government relief was arriving a full week after the disaster, but she said Lahaina still needed a more effective plan to obtain goods.

"There is still a lot of chaos. People need supplies still," Kerstulovich said.

Keith Turi, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's deputy associate administrator for response and recovery, acknowledged the deep sense of loss felt by survivors, but said FEMA had a warehouse of supplies in Hawaii and was working with state and county officials to supply shelters and relief operations.

"In the days immediately after something like this, there's a range of frustrations and challenges. But we feel like that in coordination with our partners that we are well positioned to be providing that support," Turi told reporters.