Maui fires live updates: Hawaii wildfires news, Big Island, Hurricane Dora, Lahaina evacuation, death toll
Live: Maui wildfires destroy historic Lahaina town
Headlines: Wildfires sweep Hawaiian island of Maui
- Huge wildfires, stoked by Hurricane Dora, have engulf parts of two Hawaiian islands
- At least 36 people have died as a result of the wildfires
- Officials in Maui and Big Island have enacted emergency protocols to evacuate residents
- Popular resort town of Lahaina has been devastated by the blaze
- Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke deployed National Guard to aid response effort
- Coast Guard called in to rescue residents who jumped into the ocean to escape the flames
Emergency responders scour the wreckage in Maui
For two days huge wildfires battered the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Big Island, causing unprecedented destruction and leaving thousands of people homeless. The historic tourist town of Lahaina was among the areas worst-hit by the fires as the iconic seafront from devastated by the blaze.
President Biden offers federal aid to Hawaii
"I have ordered all available Federal assets on the Islands to help with response. The Hawaiian National Guard has mobilized Chinook Helicopters to help with fire suppression and search and rescue on the Island of Maui. The U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Third Fleets are supporting response and rescue efforts."
"The Army is providing Black Hawk Helicopters to fight the fires on the Big Island. The Department of Transportation is working with commercial airlines to evacuate tourists from Maui, and the Department of the Interior and the United States Department of Agriculture stand ready to support post fire recovery efforts."
World Central Kitchen team provides aid in Maui
As the island of Maui continues to struggle against the huge wildfires that have devasted parts of the island, World Central Kitchen is offering food to those affected. The charity is a non-governmental organization devoted to providing meals in the aftermath of natural disasters around the world.
Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed in the fires and thousands of residents displaced as a result.
The scale of the destruction in Hawaii s becoming increasingly clear as emergency responders continue to battle the blaze. The ongoing wildfires on the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Big Island killed at least 36 overnight. Firefighting teams are grappling with the flames, which are being exacerbated by powerful winds originating from Hurricane Dora, situated hundreds of miles away from the coastline.
Alongside the risk to life, famous towns have been laid low by the powerful blaze. Lahaina, one of the oldest towns on the island, has been completely destroyed.
Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono gives update on Maui wildfires
"It's all hands on deck" - the words of Sen. Hirono, who confirmed that a request has been made for a presidential emergency declaration to help with the response. FEMA have been assisting with the effort on the ground but officials believe that more is needed to help those affected by the wildfires on Maui and Big Island.
Video footage shows the situation in Maui as emergency response teams battle to respond to the wildfires engulfing the region. The fires have triggered explosions, power lines are down, and homes and buildings are being destroyed.
Hawaii’s acting governor has issued an Emergency Proclamation as people are still being evacuated from the island. Alerts and updates can be found on the Maui County website. Currently, there is a Red Flag Warning in place for “critical fire weather conditions”.
More than 270 structure destroyed by Hawaii wildfires
The historic town of Lahaina has been worst-hit by the massive wildfires that have swept through Maui in recent days. The flames began on Tuesday and residents have been urged to evacuate the area as officials impose emergency proclamations on the affected parts of the island.
Hawaii wildfire spread shown in video footage
Emergency response teams continue to tackle the wildfires that have swept across Maui and Big Island in recent days, causing at least 36 deaths. The flames, fanned by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, are still causing damage and destruction of a vast scale.
US' oldest banyan tree caught up in the flames
Back in 1873 an iconic banyan tree was planted to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first American Protestant mission. Only eight feet when it was planted, it grew to a height of about 60 feet.
The 150-year-old gift came from missionaries from India and has become a well-known symbol on the island of Maui.
It was burnt in the fire but recovery efforts are underway to determine the extent of the damage and if the tree can be salvaged and revived.
Hawaii video footage shows apocalyptic scenes
Strong winds from the off-shore Hurricane Dora have whipped up the flames of wildfires on Maui, forcing residents to evacuate and sparking emergency proclamations. Officials are warning residents to make only essential journeys as the high winds make wildfires incredibly unpredictable.
As this harrowing footage shows, wildfires have obliterated parts of the island and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.
Evacuations continue on North-West side of Maui
The wildfire on Maui is continuing to rage after two days, fanned by the powerful winds from Hurricane Dora. Officials have reported seeing 60-foot flames whipping against the side of buildings as residents were evacuated on Tuesday afternoon.
The winds are expected to calm now as the hurricane loses force but the images of destruction on the Hawaiian island will stay with residents for a long time to come.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green returns to help response effort
Gov. Josh Green has cut short his holiday to return to the islands and help coordinate the emergency response to the unfolding tragedy on two of Hawaii's islands.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Green conceded that "some loss of life is expected". Subsequently, officials have confirmed that 36 people have died as a result of the catastrophe.
“We have suffered a terrible disaster in the form of a wildfire that has spread widely as a result of hurricane-force winds in the region and underlying drought conditions," Green said. "Maui and the Big Island both experienced significant fires. Much of Lāhainā on Maui has been destroyed and hundreds of local families have been displaced.
“Heroic efforts by first responders have prevented many casualties from occurring, but some loss of life is expected. Our entire emergency response team, including the Hawai‘i National Guard has mobilized and is being supported by FEMA. We have named Adjutant General Ken Hara as our state incident commander. He was my partner in Hawai‘i’s successful COVID response.
“The White House has been incredibly supportive and we expect to submit a request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration in the next 36 to 48 hours, once we know how vast the damage is.
“Our state appreciates the incredible outpouring of concern and prayers from the mainland. We won’t forget the aloha you have already begun to share with us."
The wildfires sweeping the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Big Island continue to pose a threat to life. Crews are battling fires fanned by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, hundreds of miles off the coast.
Evacuation orders are still in place and parts of the historic Lahaina town have been completely destroyed. We'll keep you up to date with the latest news and information.