The number of people killed in the Hawaii wildfires has risen to 67, and hundreds more are said to be missing on the island of Maui
Hawaii Governor Josh Green said the fires were "catastrophic" and probably the largest natural disaster in Hawaii's history
Residents of the historic town of Lahaina have spoken of learning their friends and families are among the victims
Firefighters continue to battle the flames, officials say, and nearly 15,000 tourists took flights away from Maui on Thursday
Fires began on the island on Tuesday, fuelled by winds from a hurricane, later prompting a "major disaster" declaration from US President Joe Biden
Ben Rich says the outlook remains dry for Hawaii
The weather has been very dry in Hawaii recently with isolated wildfires breaking out.
However, it was the passage of a seemingly benign hurricane in the eastern Pacific that escalated the situation.
Ben Rich explains.
Max Matza
Reporting from Maui
I've just landed on the island of Maui in Hawaii after a six-hour flight from the west coast of the US.
On the flight a few minutes ago, I could see wide fields of brown grass - dry from the ongoing drought. One small fire could be seen belching smoke just a few miles from the airport.
More smoke is visible in the distance.
The skies are cloudy outside - mixed with the hazy smoke from the fires - with the bright tropical sun still poking through in spots.
There's even been a few drops of rain, but it's unclear if the precipitation will aid the firefighting efforts.
Image source, Getty ImagesAn aerial view showing the destruction in Lahaina in the aftermath of Maui wildfires
Although the exact cause of the wildfires is still being investigated, one reason they spread is clear: it’s dry.
Large parts of Hawaii are suffering in a drought or abnormally dry conditions, including the entire island of Maui.
The US Drought Monitor, external indicates that more than 14% of the island state is suffering from severe or moderate drought. Four-fifths of Hawaii is classed as abnormally dry.
Scientists have also pointed out that some parts of the Hawaiian islands are covered with non-native grasses that are more flammable than native plants.
Last month the National Weather Service noted, external that brush fires had been reported in Maui and briefly closed a highway. Forecasters warned: “The risk of fires during this year’s dry season is elevated.”
These recent wildfires spread quickly in dry conditions, fanned by winds from Hurricane Dora which passed by Hawaii’s south coast.
Mike Wendling
US disinformation reporter
Image source, ReutersWe don’t know how the Maui fire started, but that hasn’t stopped wild speculation from starting to spread online.
In fact, the proliferation of rumours after headline-grabbing blazes can often be more predictable than the wildfires themselves.
Already we’ve seen conspiracy theorists making unsubstantiated claims about the Maui fires being caused by weather manipulation or laser attacks.
More common are activists who are keen to deflect any blame from man-made climate change. They tend to blame fires on arson or other deliberate human action, and even claim that they will be used as a pretext to impose a totalitarian world government.
To be sure, some wildfires are started by a casually tossed cigarette or a deranged firestarter.
But scientists say it’s clear: the heat and drought conditions propelled by climate change have set the stage for the particularly brutal fire seasons we’ve seen in recent years.
Maui itself was under a red flag alert before this fire broke out – the conditions were ripe for a spark to cause huge devastation.
You might say there’s now a red flag alert over wildfire disinformation.
With reporting by Merlyn Thomas, climate change disinformation reporter.
Image source, ReutersPeople around Maui are taking photos of the rainbow in the smoke and sharing on social media
Image source, White HousePresident Biden took a moment to outline plans for aid during a speech in Utah.
“Anyone who’s lost a loved one, whose home has been damaged or destroyed, will get help immediately,” he said.
The White House has declared a major disaster, a move that unleashes federal relief funds. And Biden said the armed forces – Hawaii is home to a number of military bases – will be on hand to help.
Biden said Deanne Criswell, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency which co-ordinates disaster relief, will be in Maui tomorrow.
“We’re working as quickly as possible to fight these fires and evacuate residents and tourists,” the president said. “In the meantime our prayers are with the people of Hawaii, but not just our prayers. Every asset we have will be available to them.”
Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter
Image source, Bryce BaraoidanI've been talking to Bryce Baraoidan, a 26-year-old tattoo artist from Lahaina who escaped the fire but lost his family home.
"My parents lived in that house for 30 years and now it has burnt down. We evacuated from our home when the fire was just a block away. We could feel the heat from the fire coming closer to us," he says.
"We drove off in the car when the fire was moving towards us so quickly. We did not really think our house would burn down so we left all our possessions. We only took some documentation and a bag of clothes and the two dogs."
Baraoidan said his mother burst into tears when she found out their house was destroyed. He said "the whole neighbourhood is gone".
"The thing I am saddest about leaving behind was my five pet chameleons. I was very attached to them and I regret not taking them with us when we left," he says.
"My dad told me that everything in the house is replaceable and we are lucky to have each other. We are all in shock. "
Baraoidan said his family are couch surfing and staying with family members on the other side of the island.
The historic town of Lahaina on Maui has been destroyed by the fires. This is an aerial view of the devastation.
We're hearing more from the US president this morning, including that he's spoken with the Hawaii governor Josh Green.
The White House says the president expressed his deep condolences for the lives lost and vast destruction of land and property.
Biden also confirmed the Hawaii wildfires had been declared a major disaster and additional resources would be invested to help the state's recovery.
In a tweet, , externalGovernor Green says he worked through the night to secure the "much needed funding" for his communities.
US President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in the state of Hawaii.
The declaration means the federal government will provide funding to assist in the wake of the wildfires.
Aid will go to both state and local recovery efforts.
Affected individuals in Maui will be able to access funds for assistance like temporary housing grants, home repairs, and low-cost loans to help with uninsured property losses.
Image source, Clint Hansen of Maui Real Estate Radio via TMX/ReutersHawaii is no stranger to wildfires, but those of the past few days are being called some of the worst in the archipelago's history.
The last major fire occurred in 2018, when winds from Hurricane Lane whipped up the flames around Lahaina - the same town burned to the ground this week.
At the time, the fire destroyed 2,000 acres of land, 31 vehicles and 21 structures - most of which were homes - according to local media, external.
Wildfires were once uncommon in Hawaii, ignited largely through volcanic eruptions or lightening strikes. But in recent decades, human activity has made them more common and extreme.
This includes not just arsonists, but also the introduction of invasive plants which are less fire resistant than native ones.
Nearly 0.5% of Hawaii's total area burns each year, which is as much or more than the proportion burned of any other US state.
Resident films charred ramains of downtown Lahaina
Lahaina looks like a warzone.
This video shows the charred remains of the cars, trees and buildings left behind after flames tore through the town.
It was a bustling area popular with tourists mere days ago.
Maui resident: 'We still have dead bodies floating in the water'
"We're trying to save people's lives, and I feel like we are not getting the help we need," Lahaina resident Kekoa Lansford tells CBS station Hawaii News Now about the rescue efforts in Hawaii.
Soldiers have joined the search and recovery operation following the devastating wildfires that left at least 36 people dead.
"It's going to take years to fix, years. This is not even the worst of it. We still get dead bodies in the water floating and on the seawall," he says.
The disaster is the latest in a series of extreme weather events around the world which experts say have been intensified by climate change.
Image source, Getty ImagesIt's 05:15 local time in Maui and officials are preparing to ramp up efforts to evacuate residents and tourists from areas hit by wildfires.
Locals have shared some videos of rain droplets in Maui, which could help control the raging fires. But it's still an extremely dangerous situation.
Buses are being used to take residents to shelters - including two new facilities which have been opened in churches.
Visitors to the island are to be taken directly to Kahului Airport where travellers have been camping out on floors waiting for the next planes out.
Lahaina, the historic former capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, attracts two million visitors a year but has been left in ruins.
Lahaina's banyan tree is a 60ft-tall fig tree (that's about 18 metres). It was planted in 1873, on the place where Hawaiian King Kamehameha's first palace stood.
In recent years, this particular one has become a famous tourist attraction in Lahaina's Old Town.
But it was burnt after fires ravaged the area on Wednesday.
According to the town's website, external, if its roots remain healthy it will likely grow back. But at this stage, they say the tree "looks burned".
Before and after: Lahaina's iconic banyan tree
Image source, ReutersIn this agency photo, Steff Baku-Kirkman reacts after hearing her house was destroyed along with her pets in the Maui wildfires.
It's one of the many images coming out of Hawaii which convey the despair felt by many residents of Lahaina, which in the coming days and weeks will have to come to terms with the extent of the devastation of their homes and town.
Image source, Getty ImagesA Maui-based restaurant, founded by legendary Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood, has "been lost" to the wildfires.
In an emotional statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Fleetwood described the disaster as a "devastating moment" for the island - and said his priority was ensuring the safety of his staff and team members.
He also said Maui and the "Lahania community" had been his "home for several decades" and pledged to support the region "in the days and months and years to come".
Fleetwood, who was born in Cornwall in south-west England, became a naturalised US citizen in 2006. He opened the restaurant, called Fleetwood's on Front Street, more than 10 years ago.
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Sam Hancock
Live reporter
Image source, ReutersHawaii's Army National Guard has been dropping water on the Maui fires from helicopters above
If you're new to this story, it may feel like there's a lot of information to digest, so here's a quick breakdown.
Start here: The wildfires began on Tuesday night as powerful winds from distant Hurricane Dora - hundreds of miles to the south-west - fanned the flames on the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Big Island.
Since then: The situation on Maui, in particular, has worsened - officials say at least 36 people have died there and more than 270 buildings have been damaged or destroyed. The popular town of Lahaina is known to have been badly hit.
Officials say: Teams are working as hard as possible to put out the fires and save those at risk. The extent of the damage is not yet known and Hawaii's Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke estimates it could take "months" to have the full picture.
Next steps: It's the middle of the night in Hawaii so we can't be sure when authorities will begin updating us on the situation. Other parts of the US are now awake, though, so we'll bring you whatever we hear from news outlets across the country.
Tourism director speaks at a convention centre in Honolulu being used as a shelter
Jimmy Tokioka, director of the Hawaii state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism describes the situation on Maui as devastating.