Firefighters have dropped roughly 150,000 gallons of water on the wildfires in Maui County as authorities from multiple agencies assist during one of the deadliest disasters in Hawaii's history.
The wildfires are ravaging the islands of Maui, or the "Big Island," and Oahu, forcing residents to flee their homes and towns. Hawaii Department of Defense Adjutant General Ken Hara said in a news conference on Thursday that strong winds hindered rescue efforts and prevented aircraft from getting into a position to drop water on target areas.
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"Because the winds were so high, we couldn’t provide the helicopters to do the water bucket support,” he said, adding that Maui County had “a hard time” containing the fires due to gusts that have reportedly reached 85 mph. More than 2,100 people have been displaced and sheltered by the American Red Cross.
At least 36 people are dead, and nearly 20 others are injured.
Hana said the state is leaning on federal support for help with temporary housing for visitors and residents, as well as debris clearing.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke issued another proclamation on Thursday, extending Hawaii’s emergency period by 15 days through Aug. 31.
Lahaina ravaged by wildfire
Fires blazed through Lahaina, a popular beachfront town in Maui with a population of around 12,000 residents, leaving it charred and filled with black smoke, videos and photos show.
"We just had the worst disaster I’ve ever seen. All of Lahaina is burnt to a crisp. It’s like an apocalypse,” resident Mason Jarvi, who escaped the fires, told Al Jazeera.
The destruction of Lahaina is particularly devastating to Hawaiians, as the town is filled with Native Hawaiian history and culture. It also was home to the famous large banyan tree. The tree, which was planted in April 1873, marked the place where King Kamehameha’s first palace stood. Much of that tree has been burned in the fires, according to the town’s website.
Close to 300 structures in Maui County, at least 270 from Lahaina, have been damaged or destroyed. The Baldwin Home Museum, the oldest house in Maui and a historic landmark in Lahaina, may also have been "fully burned" in the wildfires, according to the Lahaina Restoration Foundation via the Washington Post.
"Some of the aerial footage that we’ve seen from the area reminds me of the pictures from Dresden from World War II,” Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesman Adam Weintraub said, referring to the German city that was almost destroyed by Allied bombs.
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Rescue efforts underway
The Coast Guard said on Wednesday that it had rescued 14 people from the water who had jumped in to escape the fires in Lahaina.
Hawaii National Guard members have also been activated, with helicopters searching for people left behind in areas without power and accessible roads. Officials said it is too early to determine the scale of destruction and lives lost, as the immediate priority is saving the lives of those trapped in or fleeing the wildfires.