Hawaii fires before and after: Devastating photos show how Maui’s scenic waterfront has been razed to the ground by raging wildfires killing 53 people
- Shocking before and after images reveal the extent of the Hawaii wildfires
- Entire communities have been razed to the ground and livelihoods destroyed
- The fires are expected to become the worst disaster in Hawaii history
Shocking before and after pictures have laid bare the devastating impact apocalyptic wildfires have had on the once-picturesque island of Maui.
At least 53 people – and likely ‘significantly’ more – have died in the Hawaii fires, and officials warn the rebuild could take years and cost billions of dollars.
In one of the most heartbreaking images of the destruction, the historic Waiola Church – which had just celebrated its 200th anniversary in March – was razed to the ground by huge flames.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green lamented the loss of the state’s landmarks as he admitted upwards of 1,000 people are still unaccounted for on Thursday, saying: ‘Buildings that we’ve all enjoyed and celebrated together for decades, for generations, are completely destroyed.’
The western coast of Maui has bore the brunt of the disaster, with harrowing aerial shots along the seaboard showing dozens of houses and a vibrant community now reduced to white ash.
Lahaina, which was the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1825-1840, has been a draw for the rich and famous for years. But where a fleet of yachts once stood, their burnt-out skeletons are instead floating – just a short walk from where British rocker Mick Fleetwood said he also lost his restaurant to the blaze.
From bustling streets and picture-perfect beaches to scorched family homes and incinerated cars, it is no surprise why Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said: ‘With lives lost and properties decimated, we are grieving with each other during this inconsolable time.’
The historic Waiola Church, which only celebrated its 200th anniversary in March, was razed to the ground alongside the nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission on Tuesday, August 8
Upwards of 1,000 people are still unaccounted for after the wildfires took out phone service, grounded flights and sparked widespread evacuations. Over 1,700 buildings are believed to have been destroyed, officials said
A once-vibrant and busting community on Lahaina’s west coast has been reduced to white ash as dozens of homes went up in flames
A fleet of yachts are a common fixture on Maui, where famous faces including Oprah Winfrey and Woody Harrelson own homes. After the inferno blew through the town of Lahaina, just the skeletons were left of several of the vessels
Front Street was a bustling, busy seaboard street filled with homes and businesses, many of which have now been destroyed and their owners either stranded or evacuated
The banyan tree on Lahaina’s Front Street has been a landmark on the island for generations. But after 150 years, the survival of the historic tree has been thrown into doubt
The stark aftermath of the inferno is laid bare in images of the aftermath, where one home that survived the fires stands alongside its next-door neighbor that was levelled
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