"We're talking about the largest natural disaster of this generation in Hawaii," Green told The Associated Press. "We are heart-sick that there are more than the original 36 who have passed"

Green said it looks like there have been more than 1,000 structures destroyed

"Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down," Green said after walking the town Thursday morning with Maui Mayor Richard Bissen

Images and stories coming out of the historic town of Lahaina paint an increasingly grim scene as Hawaii's emergency responders work to rescue victims and control wildfires that have ravaged parts of Maui this week

Officials on Thursday confirmed 53 deaths from the wildfires that swept across parts of Maui this week, driven by fierce winds from a hurricane passing far south of the island chain. Many more people were injured. The damage assessment will help Hawaii's leaders get a better idea of what federal aid is needed