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

Image credits: Ginger_Zee

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

🚨🚨🚨Turn up the sound & listen to the terror of these poor folks fleeing the Maui wildfires.

Don’t turn a blind eye.

These are REAL people dying in the climate crisis.

“I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.”

-Greta Thunbergpic.twitter.com/Jm0cweooMK

— Nathan Mackenzie Brown 🔬🌎 (@NathanMackBrown) August 9, 2023

Another video- Video of the destruction on Front Street, a historic site in West Maui.

Oh God, please forgive our mistakes and save us, please.#Maui #Lahaina #lahainafire #MauiFires #Hawaii #Hawaiifire #wildfires pic.twitter.com/EDUxBYCEJ7

— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) August 10, 2023

Image credits: modernnotoriety

Amid the turmoil, rescue operations are in progress, as several individuals remain unaccounted for

Image credits: modernnotoriety

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.

Image credits: kaleidakanak

Image credits: kaleidakanak

everything… is just gone 😭
my kids will never get to experience front street/lahaina town like we did.
this is fucken heartbreaking 😭💔 pic.twitter.com/C1gxxCOS7Z

— 𝓀𝒶𝓁ℯ𝒾𝒶𝓁ℴ𝒽𝒶 (@kaleidakanak) August 9, 2023

People on the sidelines were heartbroken seeing the scale and destruction of the wildfires

Image credits: IamThatCeej

Image credits: Zoejkjhb

Image credits: JeffJones713972

Image credits: UWMoose

Image credits: Joecroce3

Locals have highlighted valid arguments regarding the misguided attitudes of tourists who clearly lack genuine empathy

Image credits: kalekanaeholo

Image credits: kawailenaa_

Image credits: KanielaIng

Image credits: shinyfletchling

Image credits: shinyfletchling

Image credits: renmaicha

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