Some even fled into the ocean to escape the smoke and flames.
Wildfires on the island of Maui have killed at least 55 people, led to hundreds of evacuations, and even forced some residents to flee into the ocean to escape the flames. Hundreds of acres have already been burned, and high winds from a storm building offshore have only intensified the blazes.
Here’s what we know about the dangerous situation in Hawaii.
Wildfires ravage Maui
Earlier this week, flames broke out in two parts of Maui: Kula, a residential region that sits inland, and Lahaina, a historic town that was once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom and is now home to some of the state’s best known resorts.
The fires have caused sweeping power outages, knocked out cell service in some areas, damaged homes and businesses, and left at least 55 dead. In Lahaina, about a dozen people were cornered by the flames and swam into the sea for refuge, Maui County officials said.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke told CNN that Maui’s hospitals are “overburdened with burn patients and people suffering from [smoke] inhalation.”
“The reality is that we need to fly people out of Maui to give them burn support,” she said.
It’s not clear how many people have been displaced, but there are four shelters open, with more than 1,000 people at the largest, CBS reports. The island’s main airport, Kahului Airport, was also sheltering 2,000 travelers.
“Maui can’t handle this,” one business owner in the heart of Lahaina told CBS. “A lot of people lost their homes. This is going to be devastating for Maui.”
Two other uncontrolled fires are also burning on the Big Island, including one near the rural community of Kohala Ranch.
Authorities are struggling to contain the fires because of the vicious winds being generated by Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm that’s hundreds of miles south of the state. Helicopters aren’t able to drench the blazes from above, and firefighters have been hindered by downed trees blocking roads. The spread of the flames is being worsened by strong winds, with gusts up to 60 mph pushing the fires along at dangerously high speeds.
“The fire can be a mile or more from your house, but in a minute or two, it can be at your house,” Maui Fire Assistant Chief Jeff Giesea told CBS.
Hawaii is known for its tropical conditions and wet weather, but it’s becoming more arid with climate change, the New York Times reports, which could set the stage for more fires in the future.
