James FitzGerald
Live reporter

Image source, Clint Hansen of Maui Real Estate Radio/TMX via Reuters

We're wrapping up our live coverage of Hawaii's wildfires for now.

During a press conference in a short while ago, we learned that these blazes have turned deadly - with six deaths confirmed on the island of Maui.

For further information, read our freshly-updated article on these blazes, which have been described as "apocalyptic" by local media.

You're been reading the work of Marianna Brady and Franz Strasser in Washington DC, Max Matza in Seattle and Jessica Murphy in Toronto. They were joined by Aoife Walsh, Ece Goksedef, Jack Burgess, Ali Abbas Ahmadi and me in London.

A couple visiting from Colorado for their honeymoon have been able to safely relocate after fleeing the fires in Maui.

University basketball coach Zach Ruebesam put out an appeal on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday to ask for help finding a place to stay after they were abruptly forced to flee their hotel.

On Wednesday he posted an update saying that he has had "a stressful 12 hours" but has now safely arrived on the island of Kauai.

"Hallie & I were able to get on a flight to Kauai this afternoon & get accommodations for the remainder of our Honeymoon.

"We don’t have any of our clothes but we have each other and that’s all that matters!"

One resident of Maui who was travelling outside the state when the fires struck has told the Associated Press, external news agency that the community of Lahaina has been destroyed.

“There is no Lahaina,” said Kekai Keahi. “Lahaina no exist anymore.”

Keahi was in New Mexico to drop his son off at college, but now both men plan to return to Maui.

“He gotta,” Keahi said. “We have to rebuild.”

Officials said earlier today that the fire in Lahaina is still burning, and has devastated local businesses.

Image source, Reuters

Here's a summary of the developments around the wildfires on Hawaiian islands of Maui and Big Island:

• Six people have died due to the fires; dozens of others are injured with at least three people in critical condition
• The fires are worse on Maui and should be the priority for emergency response, said Big Island mayor Mitch Roth
• Thousands of acres of land on the islands of Maui and Big Island (also called Hawaii island) have been burned. The historic town of Lahaina has been largely destroyed in what local media termed 'apocalyptic scenes'
• Hawaii is a tourist destination, and several visitors to the islands have been affected by the fires
• Officials cannot say how many homes or businesses have been destroyed, but "its going to be a big number", said the Maui mayor
• It is unclear what caused the fires, but Maj Gen Kenneth S Hara - who is in charge of the emergency response - says the high winds from Hurricane Dora and dry brush on the ground created perfect conditions for the blazes to spread

The historic tourist town of Lahaina on Maui faces the brunt of the wildfires.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Evacuees who made it to the Kahului Airport on the affected island of Maui have described escaping the "firestorms" that have hit the historic town of Lahaina.

The flames have spread rapidly due to the winds from Hurricane Dora. As we learned a short time ago, six people have died.

Some evacuees described seeing the fire spread as they journeyed to the airport - a distance that normally only takes 45 minutes to travel. It took three hours this time.

About 12,700 people remain without power in the state of Hawaii, as of 11:00 local time (22:00 BST), according to PowerOutage.us, external.

During a press conference from officials a short time ago, we also heard that thousands of people were experiencing cell-phone connectivity on the island of Maui.

Customers of Hawaiian Airlines have been told they can get their money back for flights, or change their travel plans "without penalty".

Noting the fact that officials have discouraged non-essential travel, the company writes , externalthat it has put a travel waiver in place.

The press conference comes to a close, but not before a discussion of what caused the blazes.

Officials say they do not know the answer, and that for now, it's not a priority to figure that out.

The fire broke out amid "long term-dry conditions," says Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen, who adds that the focus is still on saving lives.

Maui is still in the "battling the fire part," he says.

The fire broke out after low humidity and high winds "set the conditions" adds Maj Gen Hara.

Everyone is trying to help, and "that's what makes Hawaii really special", says Hawaii Lieutenant Governor (and acting governor) Sylvia Luke.

She points to the response to earlier volcanic eruptions on the islands as examples of when the islands came together to deal with a disaster.

Maj Gen Hara says anyone who wants to help can call +1 808 733 4300.

Three of the injured in hospital are in critical condition, we've also learned during the press conference.

It's not clear how many people have been hurt, but earlier officials said hospitals were being overwhelmed with burn victims.

Six fatalities have been confirmed on Maui. Officials have not yet identified the victims or said how they died.

Maui County Mayor Richard Missen responds to another question.

He says authorities "did not anticipate having this many fires simultaneously", adding that they were forced to draw resources from many places.

He adds that the high winds appear to have died down which has given helicopters the chance to drop more water in affected areas. "This will support our group troops to try to battle" the fires, he says.

"This is not gonna be a short journey. It's gonna take weeks or maybe months to assess the full damage," says Lieutenant Governor Luke, responding to another reporter's question.

She says that other islands of Hawaii are pitching in to help the people of Maui, who've been devastated by the wildfires.

"This is the entire state coming together," she says.

The press conference continues.

Maui County Mayor Richard Missen stops short of saying there's a risk of the fires spreading to other parts of the island (or to other islands). But he says the fires on Maui have jumped the roads, and he's therefore being cautious.

He adds that authorities have "more assets" to tackle the flames in case the fires do spread.

The priority at the moment, says Maj Gen Kenneth S Hara, is "saving lives, preventing human suffering, and mitigating great property loss".

He's answering a question about why communication lines are still down.

Cell phone power is still out for thousands of people in Maui.

That's because at least 29 power poles have collapsed, says Mayor Bissen of Maui. "We are trying to restore power," he continues.

He says that the technology and infrastructure needed to support mobile phones in the area have all been "burned, partially burned, or destroyed".

Emergency crews are using satellite phones and radios to stay in contact with each other, he adds.

The Hawaii state governor is currently returning from Boston, and had been due to remain there for another week, says Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke - who's temporarily taken charge in the governor's absence.

Governor Josh Green was on personal travel. The lieutenant governor said she is in "constant contact" with him as he travels back. He's scheduled to return at midnight local time.

Luke says she's grateful to the governor cutting his trip short by a week, saying this highlights the seriousness of the situation.

In response to a reporter's question about the six fatalities, Maui County Mayor Richard Missen says there are no further updates to about the people who have died.

He says "we did have some injuries", including a firefighter who was suffering from smoke inhalation.

He adds that "I don't want to take a guess" on how many homes or businesses were damaged, but said it was going to be a big number.

"The fire is still going on in Lahaina," Bissen also says - referring to a blaze in a historic town on his island.

There are 4,000 visitors who are trying to leave Maui right now, according to Ed Sniffen, an official from the state department of transportation.

He speaks of one major route being blocked. "There's just a lot of poles down in different areas, lots of fires jumping around in different spots, so its just too dangerous to use that roadway."

Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth begins his remarks by saying that there are "three to five fires depending on how you count them" on Big Island (also called Hawaii).

Speaking via a video-link, he says one of these is "pretty much well contained", while firefighters are still fighting the other two.

Roth says he "appreciate(s) all the support" that officials have received, from local to federal partners, adding that "we are not out of the woods yet".

He says that his thoughts and prayers are with Maui, and that the situation there "should take precedence" over the one on Big Island.