Hawaii fires: at least 36 killed as wildfire sweeps through Maui – latest updates | Hawaii

The county of Maui announced that they have opened two additional evacuation shelters as of Wednesday evening.

In an update posted to Facebook, county officials said that two additional shelters have opened in Central Maui “in order to accommodate full occupancy at existing shelters”.

Emergency shelters do not provide toiletries, bedding, or other personal care items to evacuees, with thousands leaving the county amid the ongoing natural disaster.

It is just after 2.00 hst in Maui, Hawaii, where thousands have evacuated as wildfires spread throughout the island.

Emergency shelters have opened throughout Hawaii, providing temporary housing to those who have been forced to flee amidst the unprecedented disaster.

Here is a new video report from our multimedia team, showing aerial footage of the affected area.

Maui mayor Richard Bissen has said that the community on the island will emerge stronger from the tragedy, in a recorded statement issued in the last couple of hours. He said:

A tragedy that hits one of us is felt by all of us. These past few days, the resolve of our families, businesses and visitors have been tested like never before in our lifetime, with lives lost and properties decimated. We are grieving with each other during this inconsolable time.

We are truly grateful for our first responders and emergency personnel, whose own families and friends have been affected by the Lahaina and upcountry fires.

An emergency operations centre has been fully activated, and we are fortunate to be able to work together with our federal, state, county and business partners as we make our way through this crisis.

Even though we are hurting, we are still able to move forward – especially when we do it together. And the days ahead, we will be stronger as a kaiaulu, or community, as we rebuild with resilience.

Maui resident Dustin Kaleiopu has spoken to CNN in the US, and described how he has lost his home. He told viewers:

I can say everything in Lahaina is gone. Everyone that I know and love, everyone that I’m related to, that I communicate with, my colleagues, friends, family – we’re all homeless. I have extended family, my grandmother, my uncle, my friends, family members that we’re looking for. So many people have gone missing. I will say that it is an unspoken fact that the death toll is way higher than 36. And we just hope that it is not confirmed to be, like I said, too much higher than that number. But there was a mass casualty event that happened this week.

Earlier we posted some images of Kahului Airport, the main airport of Maui, which is packed with residents and tourists attempting to leave the island. Southwest Airlines has said it will be increasing its number of flights.

Maui Now spoke to California tourist Sarah Adams who had been staying at Kaanapali. She told reporter Cammy Clark that after what she saw in Lahaina she could not “morally or ethically” stay and be “selfish” taking resources from residents.

Adams said she had witnessed long lines for the only gas station that appeared open, and that there was “no cell service, electric outages, trees uprooted, broken utility poles from the wind and devastated people everywhere.”

Lahaina resident Emerson Timmins was interviewed by KHON2 news in Hawaii, and he expressed concerns that the death toll – which then officially stood at six – would rise further.

He told viewers, while footage of burnt out cars was shown:

I would assume it’s much, much, much higher [than six] by what I saw. I couldn’t approximate numbers on that.

But there were those cars abandoned on the road. I don’t think those people could get out in time. They probably headed to the ocean, the ones that could make it.

And the people leaving their homes, if a young person could barely get out of there with their family, then the elderly are trapped.

It’s terrifying it to think about all these families losing their loved ones and their homes.

We’re doing everything we can over here, and it’s beautiful to see the island come together. It’s just terrible that it’s over such a horrific event.

Since the interview was posted online, officials have confirmed that at least 36 people are known to have died.

At least 36 people killed in Lahaina as wildfire sweeps through

Abené Clayton

ABC is reporting that the US national weather service has canceled all high wind and red flag warning alerts for Hawaii as wind speeds are expected to decrease slightly on Thursday.

Gusts of 25-35 mph (40-56 kph) are still anticipated, which could still hamper fire containment efforts, but is much lower than the last couple of days, which have seen wind speeds on Maui reach as high as 67 mph (107 kph).

The New York Times has spoken to Theo Morrison, the executive director of the Lahaina restoration foundation, an organisation that manages historic buildings in the devastated town.

She told the NYT “We had no preparation, no warning, nothing,” before the fires, and detailed some of the damage.

The Old Lahaina Courthouse roof is entirely gone. And so is the beautiful heritage museum we had there. The top floor had ancient Hawaiian things, things from the monarchy and plantation and whaling periods, objects from all of Lahaina’s eras.

Morrison told the newspaper that most of the museum’s important documents have been preserved online but she expected major losses, describing it as “the worst destructive thing that has happened in this town’s entire history”

Reuters has a quick snap that Southwest Airlines said it is increasing the number of flights to Hawaii in response to the Maui wildfires.

Here are some images that have been sent over the news wires of the scenes at Kahului Airport, the main airport of Maui.

Around 12,000 people remain without power due to wildfires, says Hawaiian Electric

Erica Fleishman, director of the Oregon climate change research institute at Oregon State University has told CNN in the US that she wouldn’t be surprised “if wildfires in many parts of the world that are not accustomed to them become more common over time, or become larger or spread more rapidly.”

She told the news channel that it was difficult to link specific wildfires to climate change, but that the broader pattern of conditions being more suited to wildfire generation can be seen. She said:

We can say there are conditions that are consistent with wildfire, wildfire size and expansion that are changing as climate changes. And some of the things that we’re seeing with this wildfire in Maui are consistent with some of the trends that are known and projected as climate changes.

Earlier my colleague Dani Anguiano wrote this explainer on the unprecedented wildfires burning on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

Our community team want to hear from people in Maui about how they have been affected. Have you been evacuated?

You can get in touch with the team here, but remember your safety and security is most important. If you do decide to message us, please make sure you put your safety first.

Reuters reports that multiple neighbourhoods were burnt to the ground as the western side of the island was nearly cut off, with only one highway open and thousands to evacuate as officials told of widespread devastation to Lahaina, its harbour and surrounding areas.

Lahaina resident Mason Jarvi, who escaped from the city, showed Reuters pictures he took of the ashen-colored destruction along the Lahaina waterfront. Wearing shorts, he also showed blisters on his thigh that he said he suffered when riding through flames on his electric bike to save his dog.

“It’s like an area was bombed. It’s like a war zone,” said helicopter pilot Richard Olsten, according to Hawaii News Now.

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.

What we know so far as at least 36 killed in Hawaii wildfires – opening summary