Wildfires turn Hawaii into tinderbox, over 50 people dead

At least 53 people have perished in the Hawaii wildfire so far, making it the worst natural disaster to hit the islands in this generation. Dozens of people have been injured, some critically.

The town of Lahaina has turned to ash and is “all gone”, its mayor said. While rescue efforts continue, authorities said that it is unclear how many people are missing.

The mayor added that it is difficult to identify those who were killed by the wildfire.

The Hawaii toll could rise, though, as rescuers reach parts of the island that had been inaccessible due to the three ongoing fires, including the one in Lahaina that was 80% contained on August 10, according to a Maui County news release.

Tourists were advised to stay away, and about 11,000 flew out of Maui on August 9 with at least 1,500 more expected to leave, according to Ed Sniffen, state transportation director.