Hawaii fires: at least 36 killed as wildfire sweeps through Maui – latest updates
Thousands evacuated as officials report at least 270 buildings damaged
- How did the deadly Maui fire start and what caused it?
- People in Maui: how have you been affected by the wildfires?
- Hundreds of buildings in historic Lahaina destroyed – video
Here is our latest video report from the town of Lahaina. The US Coast Guard had to pull a number of people from the ocean beside the town after they dived in to escape smoke and flames. “It’s like an apocalypse,” said a local resident.
Welcome to our live coverage of the devastating wildfires in the US state of Hawaii which have left at least 36 people dead. We’ll bring you the latest developments. Here is what we know so far:
At least 36 people have died in the Lahaina fire in Hawaii, local authorities have said, adding that the fire remained active.
Wildfires, fanned by strong winds from Hurricane Dora, have destroyed businesses in the historic town of Lahaina and left dozens more people injured. There have been 13 evacuations for three fires.
“As the firefighting efforts continue, 36 total fatalities have been discovered today amid the active Lahaina fire,” a Maui county statement said. “No other details are available at this time.”
It remains unclear if the 36 fatalities were in addition to the six reported earlier on Wednesday.