Thousands of Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as blazes swept across the island, destroying parts of a centuries-old town and killing at least 36 people in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in recent years.
A wildfire tore through the heart of Maui on Wednesday 9 August with alarming speed and ferocity, destroying homes and businesses in a historic tourist town and forcing panicked residents to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. The fire was widespread in Lahaina Town, including on Front Street, a popular shopping and dining destination. Footage shows flames and smoke spreading to the harbour, as locals leave the area on a boat. “We had to push off to escape the heat and ash. The harbour quickly filled with black smoke. We made it safe to Lanai,” Brantin Stevens, who filmed the video, said.