36 killed in Hawaii wildfires (VIDEOS)

The flames destroyed hundreds of buildings in a matter of hours

At least 36 people have died as wildfires ravaged the Hawaiian island of Maui on Wednesday, local authorities said. More than 10,000 people were evacuated, as some desperate tourists jumped into the ocean to escape the devastation.

Multiple brush fires began burning on the island on Tuesday, spreading rapidly as they were fanned by winds from Hurricane Dora hundreds of miles to the south. Within a matter of hours, the fires had advanced across western Maui, with one destroying the historic oceanside town of Lahaina and forcing those trapped in its path to dive into the waters of the Pacific Ocean to escape the flames.

By Wednesday evening, Maui County authorities said that 36 people had been killed and 11,000 evacuated from the island. At least 271 buildings were damaged, and witnesses told the Associated Press that boats moored in Lahaina’s harbor were set alight. 

Photos and videos from the city show charred trees, scorched houses, burned out cars, and a thick layer of ash blanketing the normally bustling streets and boardwalks.

Before and after photographs of the wildfire damage in Lahaina, Maui.
Devastating#Mauifires #Maui #lahainafire #Lahaina #Hawaii pic.twitter.com/lib4ReWhkv

— Shadab Javed (@JShadab1) August 10, 2023

At least 36 people have been killed in Maui and thousands of Hawaii residents have fled their homes from of one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in years. The fires have been fueled in part by violent winds from Hurricane Dora, more than 800 miles away.