36 Dead, Several Injured As Wildfire Tears Through Parts Of Hawaiian Island Of Maui

Entire blocks of homes and businesses went up in smoke in historic Lahaina Town in Maui, where blazes fueled by wind from a passing hurricane were concentrated.

Representative Image: Wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui has left at least six dead and dozens injured

Source : Getty

New Delhi: At least 36 people died and dozens were injured as a wildfire tore through parts of the Hawaiian island of Maui on Wednesday. The flames were fueled by strong winds from Hurricane Dora that passed well south of the Hawaiian islands. Entire blocks of homes and businesses went up in smoke in historic Lahaina Town in Maui, where blazes fueled by wind from a passing hurricane were concentrated. The flames reduced much of a historic town to ashes and forced people to jump into the ocean in an attempt to save their lives. Officials fear that the death toll could rise. The fires continued to scorch the area on Wednesday, news agency Associated Press reported. 

Flights that were suspended got resumed slowly as winds started to diminish a bit. Flying over the region gave a full view of the devastation to the pilots. Videos shot from an aerial angle that showed the extent of destruction were circulated online. The videos from coastal Lahaina showed the visuals of dozens of destroyed homes and businesses including the ones on Front Street where tourists gathered to shop and dine, AP reported. 

A helicopter pilot for a tour company, Richard Olsten, while talking about the horrifying visuals said, “It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that. We had tears in our eyes, the other pilots on board and the mechanics, and me."

Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke while talking about the destruction said that the flames 'wiped out communities.' She urged travellers to stay away from the region for some time while saying, "This is not a safe place to be.”

The exact cause of what triggered the wildfire couldn't be ascertained, however, a number of factors such as high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation might have helped, said Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, adjutant general for Hawaii State Department of Defense.

According to AP, experts on the matter have said that climate change is increasing the likelihood of more extreme weather.

There is no count available at the moment for the number of structures that were burned or the number of people who were evacuated. Officials have said that four shelters were open, housing around 2,100 people, reported AP. 

US President Joe Biden in a statement on Wednesday said that he has ordered 'all available Federal assets' to help Hawaii. He added that Coast Guard and Navy are supporting response and rescue efforts. He further said that the Marines are providing Black Hawk helicopters to fight the wildfires.