Image source, Senator Brian Schatz/Instagram/Reuters

It's the middle of the night in Hawaii, so let's have a quick recap of the key developments in the last 24 hours or so:

• The death toll following wildfires in Hawaii has risen to 55, and hundreds more have been reported missing

• The state governor says it will take many years to repair the damage caused by wildfires on the island of Maui
• Josh Green said more than 1,000 buildings had been destroyed in the historic capital and tourist town of Lahaina
• Officials say downed communication lines are making it difficult to locate people
• On Thursday, President Joe Biden declared a "major disaster"
• He vowed to trigger the release of federal funds to help recovery efforts
• Aerial photos show widespread devastation with thousands of Maui residents displaced

Lahaina, previously a historic capital of Hawaii and picturesque tourist destination, has been devastated by the fires.

Satellite images from Nasa also show flames have ripped through central parts of Maui.

Image source, .

A teenager in Lahaina has told of his regret at leaving people behind after fleeing flames which have claimed the lives of at least 55 people.

Ekolu Brayden Hoapili, 18, and his girlfriend Sharmaiynne Buduan, 20, escaped the Hawaiian wildfire by car, but are struggling to process the destruction they saw behind them.

He told AFP: "I felt powerless... helpless... I couldn't help nobody. Looking back at it, I left so much people... I know I could have done something, but I couldn't... because if I did that, I wouldn't be here."

Describing the scene on the island of Maui, Hoapili added: "Everything is just red. It's all dust and wind... People's land is right next to the gas station, and it's on fire and I just see smoke, just ash, everything falling from the sky like stuff going up in flames. And I'm like: 'We gotta go.'

"I felt like I was gonna die."

James FitzGerald
Live reporter

Image source, Hawaii Wing Civil Air Patrol/EPA

Wildfires described as "catastrophic" by Hawaii's governor are now known to have claimed at least 55 lives. Thousands of people have been displaced as a result, and officials say downed communication lines are making it difficult to locate people.

We're expecting plenty more developments in this story, so make sure to stay across our live coverage. I'm taking over the editing of this page from my colleague Alexandra Fouché.

The wildfires in Hawaii follow other extreme weather events worldwide in recent months.

Greece experienced its worst July for wildfires on record, with the islands of Rhodes and Corfu both badly affected.

Canada has also had its worst wildfire season on record, with more than 25,000 acres (100 sq km) already burnt. That follows severe wildfires in Chile and Australia earlier in 2023.

Some regions - such as the western US - have seen an increase in the area burnt by wildfires in recent decades.

Scientists say climate change is creating the weather conditions needed for wildfires to spread more likely.

The University of Hawaii has said large fires break out almost annually in some parts of the Hawaiian islands, but that the scale of these fires is unusual.

Image source, Reuters

Passengers on a plane landing in Hawaii witnessed the devastating spread of wildfires on Maui - with one capturing the extent of the wildfires on camera.

The blazes have killed at least 55 people - a toll which is expected to rise - and unleashed destruction on the historic town of Lahaina.

Bernd Debusmann Jr

Sites steeped in the history of Hawaii's royal past, a bustling art scene and the largest banyan tree in the US are just a few of the reasons Lahaina has long been a favourite tourist destination.

More than two million people visit the town each year - attracted by beaches, restaurants and its rich history.

How much of that history remains standing after devastating and deadly fires swept across Maui is still unclear, however.

While the scale of the destruction is still coming into focus, local officials have said that dozens of businesses have been destroyed, including much of the town's iconic Front Street.

• Read more here about the Lahaina landmarks, including a centuries-old church, affected by the fires

We can now bring you some of the latest images we've been sent of the devastation caused by the wildfires in Hawaii.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Ian Youngs
Entertainment and arts reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Mick Fleetwood, the co-founder of rock band Fleetwood Mac, is among a string of celebrities who have homes on Maui.

He also owned Fleetwood's bar and restaurant in Lahaina. It, like much of the town, has been destroyed.

He wrote on X, external (formerly known as Twitter) the fires were "a devastating moment for Maui, and many are suffering unimaginable loss".

Other stars who are reported to have homes on the island include singers Willie Nelson, Steven Tyler, Kris Kristofferson and Paul Simon; and actors Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson and Jim Carrey.

Oprah Winfrey is another resident, and spoke to the BBC about helping out by buying supplies for those who have been made homeless.

Aquaman star Jason Momoa, one of the most famous actors to hail from Hawaii, wrote on Instagram, external that he was "devastated and heartbroken" by the tragedy.

Image source, Reuters

Taking stock of the damage in historic Lahaina, officials have described the sheer devastation that befell the township.

Alice Lee, chair of the Maui County Council, told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme how the fire razed the "beautiful" Front Street, the town's main strip.

"The fire traversed almost the entire street, so all the shops and little restaurants that people visited on their trips to Maui, most of them are burnt down to the ground," Lee said, adding: "So many businesses will have to struggle to recover.

"We're trying to go through all the rubble and all the burnt buildings. So it's going to take us a while," she said.

Image source, Reuters

Hawaii is no stranger to wildfires, but those of the past few days have been called the worst in the state's history.

We don't yet know exactly what started the deadly fires (this is being investigated), but a combination of conditions - which authorities say are exacerbated by climate change - have made them worse.

Firefighters are up against hurricane winds and drought fuelling the flames, but say they have contained most of them.

On neighbouring Big Island, there are at least three big blazes too, but officials on Thursday said they were under control.

Read more here about possible causes of the wildfires.

Max Matza
Reporting from Maui

Teressa Dixon, a resident of Lahaina, was returning from work when she found the roads to her home closed.

Her sister had been looking after her baby while she worked, but the lack of mobile phone service meant she had no way of knowing whether they were safe.

She hopped on a bike and "took the back roads" to try to find her family. She arrived to find the town "in flames".

She told the BBC an enormous gust of wind "full of smoke, embers and lava rocks" knocked her down, and she rolled until she hit a pole, sustaining a painful injury to her foot.

She made her way to the evacuation shelter at the civic centre, but the fire was fast approaching.

Driving herself to another shelter, Teresa was able to receive treatment for her injury and found phone service. To her relief, she found out from her mum that her family was safe, and waiting to be reunited with her.

The death toll from the fires in Maui has increased by two people, leaving at least 55 dead so far.

But hundreds remain missing on the island and officials expect this to rise further.

Image source, Getty Images

The seaside town of Lahaina - which used to be the capital of Hawaii - is well known for its historic sites.

Many have been damaged or destroyed by the wildfire.

Among them is the oldest hotel in Hawaii - the 122-year-old Pioneer Inn - which its owners say has been gutted.

The fires have also scorched Lahaina's famous banyan tree, which is believed to be the biggest one in the US. While the tree is still standing, there are fears it may not recover.

Read more about the town here.

Max Matza
Reporting from Maui

At the War Memorial Stadium shelter in Maui, a free standing whiteboard and pad of Post-it notes make up the evacuee community noticeboard.

Next to pleas for missing loved ones to get in contact - "We love you Marisa, call us please" - are offers of help: "Can give rides to the airport - up to three!".

Authorities estimate hundreds of people are missing, and it's made harder for missing people to reunite as power and internet services are down across much of the island.

We have more from meteorologist Malika Dudley, a former Hawaii beauty queen who spoke to the BBC earlier, who was one of thousands forced to evacuate because of the wildfires.

“People were running for their lives - literally," she said.

Max Matza
Reporting from Maui

Gaku Fujita, 19, is visiting Maui from Japan with seven of his relatives.

They’ve all become stranded after being forced to flee their hotel in Kaanapali, a town in western Maui north of Lahaina, without their passports.

As they fled on Tuesday, they drove through Lahaina as winds bore down, never thinking that fires would burn the town down hours later.

They’ve been in an evacuation centre in the city of Kuhului since Tuesday, and have been very impressed with the generosity of the locals.

“I really want to praise the donations that the locals are giving us,” he told the BBC on Thursday.

He says the family is being treated “just like the locals”.

The Visual Journalism Team
BBC News

Image source, .

The location worst hit by the fast-spreading wildfires on the island of Maui is Lahaina.

The incredibly strong winds meant that aircraft have only recently been able to fly over the town and begin to reveal the devastation.

The flames have destroyed most of the buildings in front of the port, including the old courthouse.

• See more of the scale of destruction here.

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We've been hearing more dramatic stories of how people survived the wildfire that tore through the holiday town.

Vixay Phonxaylinkham told the BBC his family was among those forced into the water when the flames encroached.

He describes explosions, embers flying through the air, and several terrifying moments when the ocean nearly swept his kids away.