Thousands of people were forced to flee their homes after a series of devastating wildfires swept across the Hawaiian island of Maui on Tuesday, destroying the town of Lahaina and leaving at least 36 people dead.
Photos show rampant destruction left behind, and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said Wednesday that hundreds of buildings had been “burnt to the ground.”
The wildfires, fuelled by strong winds linked to Hurricane Dora and a severe drought, took many residents by surprise, forcing some people to flee into the ocean and await rescue by the US Coast Guard.
Fire officials were struggling to bring the flames under control as high winds continued on Wednesday, spreading embers beyond containment, the Honolulu Civil Beat reported. Most of the western side of Maui was closed to all but emergency services, and more than 2,000 people were forced into shelters.
Residents described Lahaina, a popular tourist area and the former royal capital of Hawaii, as a “war zone,” with burned shells of buildings left behind and ash floating in the air. Sen. Brian Schatz (Democrat, Hawaii) wrote on Twitter that Lahaina was “almost totally burnt to the ground,” adding that firefighters and first responders were still in search-and-rescue mode.
President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that federal assets had been dispatched to the state, including rescue crews, and plans were in the works to help tourists leave the island.
“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in the wildfires in Maui, and our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses, and communities destroyed,” the president said in a statement. “We are grateful to the brave firefighters and first responders who continue to run toward danger, putting themselves in harm’s way to save lives.”
Former US President Barack Obama added later Wednesday that it was “tough to see some of the images coming out of Hawai’i,” saying the place was “so special to so many of us.”
“Michelle and I are thinking of everyone who has lost a loved one, or whose life has been turned upside down,” he wrote on Twitter.
This story has been updated with the new death toll.