At Least 36 People Died As Hawaii Battles Blazes

At least 36 people have died in the Lahaina fire in Hawaii, Maui County wrote in a statement posted to the county website Wednesday evening.

Wildfires, whipped by strong winds from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south, took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood.

Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.

Officials said earlier that 271 structures were damaged or destroyed and dozens of people injured.

In light of the ongoing crisis caused by the devastating fires in the Lahaina area of Maui, county authorities are urgently urging all visitors who arrived with vehicles or any mode of transportation to vacate the region. The county's request is a response to the limited resources available to address the current emergency situation.

To facilitate this evacuation effort, buses will be transporting individuals from the Sheraton Maui Resort located in Kaʻanapali to Kahului Airport, as announced by the county.

The wildfire has resulted in extensive destruction across Lahaina in western Maui, further underscoring the severity of the situation caused by one of the three wildfires.

As of today, over 100 Maui firefighters are actively engaged in combating three separate wildfires. Additionally, helicopters are being utilised for water drops and search operations, as reported by Maui County authorities.