Update: Following the initial report of catastrophic wildfires on the island, Maui County provided a subsequent update, revealing that the number of casualties has now reached 55 individuals, a tragic increase from 36, as was confirmed on Thursday.
This update issued by Maui County follows an earlier public statement by the county earlier on the same Thursday, stating that containment measures have successfully controlled 80% of the fire in Lahaina, along with 70% suppression of the fire in Pulehu.
Previously: Raging and perilous wildfires in Hawaii have prompted evacuations and power outages impacting thousands.
The extensive inferno laid waste to a significant portion of Lahaina, a town of historical significance on Maui, compelling certain individuals to flee toward the harbor in search of refuge.
A statement from Maui County on Wednesday night confirmed that the fires claimed the lives of at least 36 individuals.
Dry conditions and strong winds have sparked "apocalyptic" wildfires in Maui
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Image credits: modernnotoriety
Image credits: modernnotoriety
"We started smelling the smoke, and that's when we knew we had trouble," shared Steve Scott, a resident of Maui. "It came, and it came quick." He described how they were trapped due to unprecedented wind conditions before managing to escape. "I was trapped," he said. "We had to run to the harbor."
Another resident Malika Dudley recounted her middle-of-the-night evacuation experience with her two children saying: "We got a call from our neighbor who said, 'Get out of your house.' And we looked out the window and there was a red glow outside of our window... The fire was right above our property."
A state of emergency has been declared as fires rage, leading to at least 36 fatalities and countless injuries
Image credits: modernnotoriety
Image credits: modernnotoriety
Amid the turmoil, rescue operations are in progress, as several individuals remain unaccounted for
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Image credits: modernnotoriety
The wildfire crisis continues unabated in Haliimaile on Haleakalā's slopes where Dudley can still see flames growing and spreading.
Scott expressed his despair over this disaster, especially for Front Street in downtown Lahaina which was just beginning its recovery post-COVID-19 pandemic.
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Image credits: kaleidakanak
People on the sidelines were heartbroken seeing the scale and destruction of the wildfires
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Locals have highlighted valid arguments regarding the misguided attitudes of tourists who clearly lack genuine empathy
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Image credits: shinyfletchling
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