The wildfires across Maui in Hawaii have taken the lives of at least 55 people as of Friday, August 11. U.S. President Joe Biden has declared a national disaster on the wildfires, and the firefighters are still working to contain the fast-moving flames.
The fires are traveling too fast, becoming one of the largest natural disasters in Hawaii’s history and the deadliest wildfires in the U.S. since 2018. Top wind gusts, combined with the influence of Hurricane Dora, speed above 80 mph amid Hawaii’s dry brush and terrain conditions, making the flames extremely hard to control.
More than 11,000 people have left their homes due to the wildfires, and over 1,000 buildings were destroyed, including some hundreds of years old historic landmarks. Many animals are in critical condition, and people are becoming increasingly worried about missing loved ones.
This summer, unprecedented heatwaves have caused severe wildfires in Europe and Canada. As Hawaii is experiencing increasingly dry conditions in recent years, scientists warned the region will face increasingly severe climate challenges with soaring global temperatures.
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