LAHAINA, Hawaii – At least 53 people are confirmed dead in Hawaii as wildfires burned through parts of the Aloha State, with the hardest-hit area being the island of Maui.
On Maui, the Lahaina, Pulehu and Upcountry fires wreaked havoc this week, burning cars, boats, homes and entire blocks of towns to the ground.
Here are some images that captured the sheer destruction caused by the wildfires.
In the image above, a man walks by a van with its windows broken, tires melted and body dilapidated from being engulfed in flames.
An aerial perspective below showed entire homes and structures burned to the ground.
In the town of Lahaina alone, more than 270 structures were impacted by the fire, according to County of Maui officials.
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The structure below may have its outside walls intact, but its roof and indoor structures seem to have been reduced to ash.
Another structure damaged by the fires was the Lahaina Public Library. In the video below, flames can be seen burning through the roof of the building.
“Our hearts are heavy with the terrible devastation these brush fires have inflicted on Maui, and we will work with our community partners to ensure that Maui’s communities remain strong,” said State Librarian Stacey A. Aldrich in a Facebook post.
Around many structures in Lahaina are countless trees, such as palm trees. The once lush, green fronds became shriveled and blackened as charcoal.
One tree of note is the historic Banyan tree. At more than 150 years old, it is the oldest Banyan tree on the island of Maui, according to County of Maui officials.
In the photo below, the historic tree appears to have been burned during this week’s blaze.
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Vessels on the water were not safe from the flames, either. The boat below, while still afloat, had much of its upper deck destroyed by the wildfires.
As of Thursday morning, Lahaina residents remained without power. Officials with the County of Maui said that state and county crews are working to clear trees and debris from roads and other areas.
They added that the three fires responsible for damages across Maui are at varying degrees of containment.
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The Lahaina Fire was reported to be 80% contained, the Pulehu Fire was 70% contained and the Upcountry Maui Fire is pending further assessment, according to officials.