I just talked to my friend who works with Pacific Disaster Center Global in Maui. Folks that work for him are OK, but many cannot still locate their family members!
I would say telling people to stay away is the right call. From a conversation with him, I would say that people here on the mainland are not aware of the extent of the disaster.
The fire has likely damaged communication lines, so cell phones may not work in certain areas. It's also an isolated island. Not sure if there's any way to bring in more firefighting equipment and firefighters on short notice, even from other parts of Hawaii or other parts of Maui County.
However, it's my understanding that the Lahaina area fire itself is relatively small, but that's the most densely populated area of Maui that's been directly hit by these fires.