Five members of the Arizona Humane Society's Emergency Response Team were deployed to Maui on Wednesday to assist after deadly wildfires swept through the island.

Since wildfires started in the early morning of Aug. 8 on the Hawaiian island of Maui, at least 111 people have died and more than 250 buildings in the historic Lahaina Town have been destroyed. Hundreds of people have been forced to evacuate and thousands of residents have lost access to basic utilities.

The wildfires burning in Maui are now considered to be the worst natural disaster in the U.S. in the past century, with the number of deaths and material losses expected to significantly increase as officials search the island's fire zone, of which about a quarter had been looked through as of Thursday.

According to a news release, the Humane Society said their response team was asked to help out by BISSELL Pet Foundation's Animal Incident Management team.

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Arizona's Humane Society's deployment will last seven days to assist with search and rescue efforts for pets who have been affected by the fire. They will also provide any additional support they can for pets in the community.

The team on the ground will continue to provide additional resources as needed, the news release states.

“As Arizona’s designated responder for animals in distress during natural disasters, the Arizona Humane Society’s Emergency Response Team has many years of experience behind fire lines,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, president and CEO of the foundation. “Our team has deployed to other national natural disasters in the past, including Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Harvey. Their advanced training allows the team to provide help where and when it is needed the most.”

More information on the Humane Society's Emergency Response team can be found on the Humane Society's website.

What can I do to help the Maui fires?

Donate to organizations who are looking for funding.

Stop all non-essential travel to Maui until authorities deem it safe to do so.

Research information online and stay educated about the fires.

Where can I donate?

What to do: How Arizonans can help as deadly fires burn on Maui

Should I travel?

According to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, people should not travel to Maui at this time.

Visitors who are on non-essential travel are being asked to leave Maui.

Non-essential travel to Maui is strongly discouraged.

Visitors who have travel plans to west Maui in the coming weeks are encouraged to consider rescheduling their travel plans for a later time.

Republic reporter Laura Daniella Sepúlveda contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Humane Society helps with pet rescues in Maui after wildfires