Maui Wildfire Update: Hundreds Missing in Deadliest Blaze in Over a Century

More than 1,000 people are still missing in Hawaii as rescue teams comb through rubble left by the deadliest wildfire in over a century to hit the United States.

The wildfires started on Tuesday and spread across several islands, spurred by winds from Hurricane Dora. The fires hit Maui particularly hard, engulfing the historic town of Lahaina in flames on Wednesday. It is believed the fires sparked in a mix of hot and dry conditions, but their direct cause is still unknown. Thousands of people in Maui were forced to evacuate Wednesday morning, with some only given minutes to escape as fires devoured their family homes. Some even jumped into the ocean to flee the flames.

At least 93 people have been confirmed dead as of Sunday morning, according to an update by Maui County. Firefighters continue to battle blazes on the island, including flare-ups in Lahaina. Firefighters have also extinguished a 1-acre fire that popped up Friday evening in Ka'anapali. On Saturday, the death toll was at 89, and only two of the dead had been identified because searing flames hot enough to melt metal destroyed the bodies, according to a report from the Associated Press. Officials have asked families with missing loved ones to submit DNA samples to aid in identification efforts.

The fire destroyed at least 2,200 structures, the majority of which are residential, the AP reported. Nearly 4,500 people are still without power, according to the U.S. Power Outage Map, and power outages could last for several weeks. Lahaina, which was the original capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was particularly impacted by the wildfires.

Several reports claimed that no warning sirens sounded on Maui before the fires, and people didn't have advance notice to evacuate. Senator Mazie Hirono said there should be no excuses for the sirens failing to sound, but that priority was currently dedicated to search-and-rescue efforts rather than accountability, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Officials have discouraged nonessential travel to the island, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has urged Hawaiians not to return home until officials deem it safe to do so.

NASA satellite images showed the fires as they were burning in Maui, and shocking before-and-after photos of Lahaina were shared on social media, showing what once was a beautiful, green, thriving town that has since been reduced to charred land and blackened structures. The fires also incinerated Maui's oldest living tree, a banyan tree dating back 150 years. The tree was planted in 1873 to mark the 50th anniversary of a Protestant mission arriving in Lahaina. The tree still stands despite its blackened exterior, and might try to grow new buds on its charred branches. It has become a symbol of hope for Hawaiians.

Meanwhile, much of Maui still suffers from moderate and severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor Map.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green was certain that the number of fatalities will continue to rise, the AP reported.

"It will certainly be the worst natural disaster that Hawaii ever faced," he said. "We can only wait and support those who are living. Our focus now is to reunite people when we can and get them housing and get them health care, and then turn to rebuilding."

Preliminary damage estimates are between $8 and $10 billion, according to MarketWatch on Friday. The report added that the fires have ruined homes and businesses, and that the island's flourishing tourist industry is expected to be impacted.

The fires impacted all living creatures. Hundreds of dogs, cats and other pets have been injured or separated from their human families in the flames. Many of the lost pets also require critical care for smoke inhalation, local news station WTRF reported on Sunday.

Newsweek reached out to AccuWeather by email for comment.

Update 08/13/2023, 4:16 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include additional information.