Update: Death Toll Rises to At Least 55 in the Lahaina Wildfire and 1400 Stayed at the Airport Awaiting Flights

On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, Front Street in downtown Lahaina, Maui, is engulfed in flames and smoke from roaring wildfires.Photo byMatthew Thayer / Associated Press

Updated: Maui officials said 1,400 people stayed at the airport overnight Wednesday while waiting for flights off the island.

On the Hawaiian island of Maui, a wildfire wreckage search on Thursday revealed a scene of destruction, with homes reduced to ashes and towns destroyed. Firefighters battled a raging inferno that has violently claimed the lives of 36 people, giving it the deadliest wildfire to hit the United States in recent times.

A passing hurricane's strong winds and a dry summer combined to fuel the fire, which erupted on Tuesday and caught the island off guard. Lahaina, a renowned tourist destination and the largest village on the island's western side is a historic town going back to the 1700s. It swiftly raced over parched vegetation and neighborhoods in Lahaina.

Also in California, the 2018 Camp Fire, which claimed the lives of at least 85 lives and destroyed the town of Paradise, is the worst U.S. wildfire. Maui County confirmed on Wednesday evening that the death toll had reached 55. The number of fatalities in Hawaii could increase as rescue efforts expand into previously unreachable places because of active fires or other barriers. Officials earlier on Wednesday claimed that 271 structures had been damaged or destroyed, and several people had been hurt. Some people had only minutes to react when confronted by the flames, leading some of them to seek safety in the ocean.

A Lahaina resident named Bosco Bae shared a video from Tuesday night on Facebook showing fire devouring practically every building on a street while sirens sounded and raging winds howled. One of the last residents of the town to leave was Bae, who was escorted to the island's main airport while he awaited authorization to fly back home.

Strong gusts from Hurricane Dora, which passed well to the south, gave the fires speed. This incident is the latest in a string of global catastrophes this summer that have been caused by catastrophic weather patterns. The likelihood of such catastrophes is increasing, according to experts, as a result of climate change.

Thomas Smith, an associate professor of environmental geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science, notes that while wildfires are regular in Hawaii, recent meteorological conditions created the ideal circumstances for a catastrophic inferno, with high winds worsening the issue. Wildfires are also occurring on the Big Island, but according to Mayor Mitch Roth, no one has been hurt or properties have been burned there.

On Wednesday, Maui's winds started to subside a little, and aerial images made the scale of the destruction clear. Lahaina-shot video showed a lot of homes and businesses in ruins. Parts of Maui experienced power outages, and cellular coverage was interfered with, making communication difficult. The Hawaii State Department of Defense's Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara stated that actions were being taken to reestablish communications, distribute water, and possibly increase law enforcement presence. The Maui fires received 150,000 gallons (568,000 liters) of water from National Guard helicopters.

14 people were reportedly saved by the Coast Guard as they jumped into the ocean to escape the fire and smoke. The initial cause of the fires has not yet been the subject of investigations, according to Maui County Mayor Bissen on Wednesday.

President Biden proclaimed Maui to be severely damaged. He promised that people who lost loved ones or houses would receive prompt relief while he was in Utah on Thursday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was sending emergency workers to the island, and Biden promised to expedite requests for aid.

"Our prayers are with the people of Hawaii," he said. not only our prayers, though. They will be able to use all of our resources.

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