The deadly wildfires that erupted on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Aug. 8 have become the deadliest natural disaster in state history, officials said.
The blazes spread rapidly due to very dry conditions stemming from a drought combined with powerful winds. Much of the historic town of Lahaina has been "destroyed," officials said, and the inferno has burned thousands of residential and commercial buildings to the ground.
Over 100 people have died from the devastating wildfires on Maui. Officials have warned that the death toll is expected to rise as they work to contain the active blazes and assess the damage.
Click here to read what we know about some of the victims.
In an undated photo, Buddy Jantoc, center, is seen with his granddaughter Keshia Alakai and her husband. Courtesy of The Family of Buddy Jantoc
Courtesy of The Family of Buddy Jantoc
Aug 10, 2023, 5:17 PM EDT
Some tourists just learning extent of the fires
Three buses with 168 tourists just arrived at the packed Kahului Airport in Maui. Passengers told ABC News that they have not had power or cell service for two days. Some said they had no idea how bad these fires were until half an hour ago when they first got cell phone service back and were able to see the extent of the devastation.
Three buses with 168 tourists arrive at Kahului Airport in Maui after they were told to leave due to wildfires, Aug. 10, 2023.
William Carr/ABC News
Some don’t have plane reservations, while others have tickets for the weekend. They said the resorts told them they had to leave and to get on the buses, so they did without much of a plan and little information.
Kahului Airport in Maui is packed with people trying to leave the island due to wildfires, Aug. 10, 2023.
William Carr/ABC News
-ABC News' Will Carr and Timmy Truong
Aug 10, 2023, 4:55 PM EDT
Lahaina resident 'scared' to learn death toll
Lahaina resident Leif Wright held back tears as he told ABC News Live he is "scared" to learn the death toll of the fire.
"I don't even know what the body count is going to be. I'm very scared to hear, but I'm really nervous. A lot of friends are missing," Wright said.
Wright evacuated after trying to help save neighbors and pets in his neighborhood. He lost his home in the fire.
He urged anyone who wants to help to donate to food drives or help give clothing to residents who lost everything.
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
Aug 10, 2023, 4:17 PM EDT
'So many people are missing'
In an interview with ABC News Live, Malika Dudley, meteorologist for ABC Honolulu affiliate KITV, said residents are "feeling so, so sorrowful" as more damage is being surveyed and the death toll continues to rise.
"So many people are missing," Dudley said during the emotional interview. "We're seeing a lot of things coming up on Instagram, my grandma, my grandpa, my son. I just saw one and a 12-year-old that's missing. There's no words. There's no words."
An aerial image shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii, Aug. 10, 2023.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Dudley said that Maui residents will need "a lot of support to get out of this."
"Those are people's homes, people's businesses, people's livelihood," Dudley said. "And this is on top of the you know, what is most poignant to us right now, which is just the loss of life and trying to reunite families right now."
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
Aug 10, 2023, 3:43 PM EDT
Survivor jumped into water to escape flames: 'It seemed like I might drown'
Shawn Dougherty is recovering from burn injuries at a shelter set up at the War Memorial Gym in Maui after jumping into water to escape from the flames.
Dougherty told ABC News the "first sign of peril" on Tuesday was when a tree in his backyard snapped from strong wind gusts. When a house in his Lahaina neighborhood started to fill with smoke, he and his girlfriend drove toward the harbor, where businesses were on fire.
He and his girlfriend ended up leaving their car and jumping in the water to escape the flames. Dougherty said he got cuts and bruises from getting knocked against the rocks and coral.
"At one point, it seemed like I might drown," he said. "I'm a good swimmer, but the water was just really rough because of the wind and the turbulence."
Shawn Dougherty says he was burned on his feet and had to jump in the water to avoid the wildfire spreading in Lahaina, on Maui, Hawaii.
ABC News
They had to temporarily swim away from the rock wall because of the intense heat from the fires, he said. A first responder eventually told them to get out of the water because "it's not going to get any better," so he and his girlfriend took the chance and climbed out.
"I couldn't even make it across the street because the pavement was so hot. And now I have second degree burns on the bottom of my feet," Dougherty said.
Dougherty said he had difficulties walking due to his burns and lost track of his girlfriend after getting out of the water. He ended up waiting in the water and on the rock wall until firefighters carried him to a truck and ultimately brought him to a hospital for treatment.
He's been at the shelter since Wednesday morning and hasn't been able to get ahold of his girlfriend since.
"I've got to find a way to procure a phone so I can start making contacts with people and find my beautiful girlfriend," he said. "I'm so scared."
