Hawaii wildfires raze resort city on Maui island, killing dozens

Authorities in Hawaii’s Maui island said a wildfire that tore through the resort town of Lahaina has killed at least 36 people, forced hundreds of residents to leave the former Hawaiian Kingdom capital, and left smouldering wreckage in its wake.

As the wildfires blocked most roads leading out of Lahaina, video footage showed homes and businesses being completely destroyed and cars being burned to a char throughout the western part of the U.S. island. The town is one of Maui’s top tourist destinations, bringing approximately 2 million visitors annually, or about 80% of the island’s visitors.

Dustin Kaleiopu, a Maui resident, claimed that his family lost two generational family homes because they had only had minutes to flee and had since moved to the opposite side of the island.

“There are still so many people that we are unable get in touch with, and that still remains true for many families here,” Kaleiopu said in an interview on NBC News’ “Today” program. “Everyone I know is now homeless.”

Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke said late on Wednesday that officials were still assessing the damage.

“It will be a long road to recovery,” she said.

The National Weather Service of Hawaii reported that a combination of dry vegetation, strong winds, and low humidity ignited the quickly spreading conflagration, however the exact origin of the Maui wildfires was yet unknown.

According to Thomas Smith, an environmental geography professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, wildfires happen in Hawaii every year, but this year’s fires are bigger and burning more quickly than typical. He attributed the strong winds to the lack of precipitation, high temperatures, and adjacent storm systems.

(With agency inputs)