Hawaii wildfires: Raging inferno on Maui

Lahaina is gone — burned to the ground. All that remains of the old whaling town, with a population of 13,000 on the northwest coast of the island of Maui, is charred rubble. More than 50 people died in the blaze. Josh Green, the governor of Hawaii, has called it the "worst natural disaster in the state's history."

On August 8, several wildfires broke out on Maui. Strong winds with violent gusts reaching 130 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour) saw the blaze roll across the island, spreading rapidly toward the coast. Initially, emergency services were powerless to counter its elemental force. The historic Waiola Church fell victim to the flames, which were up to 30 meters (100 feet) high.

Residents and tourists were taken completely by surprise, with many only managing to save themselves by jumping into the ocean. But not everyone made it out alive. "We still get dead bodies in the water floating and on the seawall," Kekoa Lansford, a Lahaina resident, told US news channel CBS.

Vixay Phonxaylinkham and his 4-year-old daughter Lana were among those caught unawares by the fires. They fled their car and jumped into the sea to save themselves. It took four hours for them to be picked up. Fortunately, the water temperature around Maui is currently about 26 degrees Celsius, so the pair only suffered mild hypothermia.

Myrna Ah Hee is still in shock. Although her own house in Lahaina was spared, many of her relatives have lost everything. In all, more than 270 buildings were either severely damaged or completely destroyed by the flames. As of August 10, more than 11,000 buildings were still without power — about 15% of all households on the island of Maui.

Lahaina was once a picturesque tourist destination. The small town at the foot of the West Maui Mountains would host up to 2 million visitors from all over the world every year, people enjoying the seaside or one of the beachfront cafes and restaurants. In 2011, the historic Front Street was even voted one of the US' 10 most beautiful streets.

The morning after the wildfires, Lahaina had disappeared. "Merciless sun" is the name of the place in Hawaiian, and indeed, as it rises behind the mountains of Maui, it reveals the full extent of the destruction in the former island capital. The property damage runs into the billions, and reconstruction will likely take years.

Many people managed to escape to an emergency shelter in Wailuku on the other side of the mountains. Maui island residents have been bringing urgently needed relief supplies to the survivors. Governor Green has called on citizens to provide space in private shelters, while US President Joe Biden has also pledged funds for rapid emergency aid.

Fire also struck the main island of Hawaii. On Maui, however, a long drought and strong winds caused a deadly combination that resulted in the huge blaze. During the first few hours of the disaster, the fire department was practically powerless. In the meantime, however, official sources have announced that all fires in the state are once more under control.

Thousands of tourists are trying to leave the island, but the small airport is ill-equipped to cope with the onslaught. Several flights to and from Maui have been canceled at short notice. Now, the US Department of Transportation is proposing to help fly vacationers out to the island of Oahu, located west of Maui, where they will initially be accommodated in an emergency shelter.

Hawaiian authorities are currently discouraging people from traveling to Maui. "This is not a safe place to be," warned Deputy Governor Sylvia Luke. An emergency declaration has been issued to keep tourists off the island. Meanwhile, actor Jason Momoa, who lives on Maui, has taken to Instagram to call on tourists and other Hawaii-based Hollywood stars to donate to Lahaina survivors.