Wildfires across the Hawaiian island of Maui have killed 55 people and scorched thousands of properties.
Governor Josh Green delivered an update on Thursday afternoon, describing the fires as"likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history."
He referenced the state's deadliest natural disaster, a 1960 tsunami, which killed 61 people on the Big Island. He said the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue. The incident is the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which killed at least 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise.
Referring to the death toll, he said:"I do not know what the final number is going to be. It's going to be horrible and tragic." An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023, shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii. Firefighters are still working to contain several active blazes.'s Wolf Blitzer, Green described the scene of the fires as looking like"a bomb hit Lahaina. It looks like total devastation."
The wildfire that destroyed Lahaina is now 80 percent contained, according to Maui Fire Chief Brad Ventura, who confirmed authorities are still attempting to contain blazes across the island. The Pulehu fire, which is further east in Kihei, is now 70 percent contained. Another fire in the hills of Maui's central Upcountry is still being assessed.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How Hurricane Dora Affected Hawaii Wildfires: Explained - Videos from The Weather ChannelMultiple wildfires are burning across the island of Maui. Here’s how winds from Hurricane Dora have affected them. - Videos from The Weather Channel | weather.com
Read more »
Apocalyptic Aerial Footage Emerges From Hawaii Wildfires - Videos from The Weather ChannelDeadly wildfires damaged nearly 300 structures in Lahaina on Maui and thousands of people were evacuated. - Videos from The Weather Channel | weather.com
Read more »
Iberian Peninsula braces for heatwave as wildfires blaze on in PortugalSpain and Portugal on Monday braced for the first day of a week-long heatwave that meteorologists expected to push thermometres above 44 Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) in parts of the Iberian Peninsula and further heighten the risk of wildfires.
Read more »
Wildfires Put Europe’s Tourism Earnings at Risk | Weather.comA recent stretch of hot weather could have implications on tourism for years to come in Europe. - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com
Read more »
Wildfires in the Interior, potential drought in Southeast as record heat drags into AugustAlaska experiences wildfires in the Interior and potential drought in Southeast due to record heat in August. There are currently 140 active Interior wildfires, while Southeast Alaska is facing 'abnormally dry' conditions.
Read more »
Wildfires continue to burn across Texas, burn ban expected in Harris Co.The Texas A&M Forest Service has issued a high alert for additional wildfires as the state continues to experience extreme heat. In the past week, over 80 wildfires have been reported, with 41 occurring since Friday. These fires have already burned more than 8,500 acres of land. As a result, a burn ban is expected to be issued on Tuesday in Harris County.
Read more »