The search of the wildfire wreckage on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of burned out homes and obliterated communities as firefighters battled the stubborn blaze that has already claimed 36 lives, making it the deadliest in the U.S. in recent years.

Fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane, the fire started Tuesday and took the island by surprise, racing through parched growth and neighborhoods in the historic town of Lahaina, a tourist destination that dates to the 1700s and is the biggest community on the island害羞草研究所檚 west side.

Maui County said late Wednesday that at least 36 people have died. But that figure could rise as rescuers reach parts of the island that had been unreachable due to ongoing fires or obstructions including blocked roads. Officials said earlier that 271 structures had been damaged or destroyed and dozens of people had been injured. It is the deadliest fire since the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which killed at least 85 people and virtually razed the town of Paradise.

害羞草研究所淭hese were large and fast-moving fires, and it害羞草研究所檚 only recently that we害羞草研究所檝e started to get our arms around them and contain them. So, we害羞草研究所檙e hoping for the best, but we害羞草研究所檙e prepared for the worst.害羞草研究所� Adam Weintraub, a spokesman for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said Thursday on ABC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淕ood Morning America.害羞草研究所�

The flames left some people with mere minutes to act and led some to flee into the ocean.

Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described their harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.

害羞草研究所淲e barely made it out,害羞草研究所� Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.

As the family fled, a senior center across the road erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn害羞草研究所檛 know if the people got out. As they drove away, downed utility poles and others fleeing in cars slowed their progress. 害羞草研究所淚t was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything,害羞草研究所� Kawaakoa, 34, said.

As the fires rage, tourists were advised to stay away, and about 11,000 visitors flew out of Maui on Wednesday, with at least another 1,500 expected to leave Thursday, according to Ed Sniffen, state transportation director. Officials prepared the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in the thousands who have been displaced.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said the island had 害羞草研究所渂een tested like never before in our lifetime.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e are grieving with each other during this inconsolable time,害羞草研究所� he said in a recorded statement. 害羞草研究所淚n the days ahead, we will be stronger as a 害羞草研究所榢aiaulu,害羞草研究所� or community, as we rebuild with resilience and aloha.害羞草研究所�

The fires were fanned by strong winds from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It害羞草研究所檚 the latest in a series of disasters caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.

Wildfires aren害羞草研究所檛 unusual in Hawaii, but the weather of the past few weeks created the fuel for a devastating blaze and, once ignited, the high winds created the disaster, said Thomas Smith an associate professor in Environmental Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

害羞草研究所淭he vegetation in the lowland areas of Maui is particularly parched this year, with below-average precipitation in the spring, and hardly any rainfall this summer.

The Big Island is also currently seeing blazes, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there.

As winds eased somewhat on Maui on Wednesday, pilots were able to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 horrifying. I害羞草研究所檝e flown here 52 years and I害羞草研究所檝e never seen anything come close to that,害羞草研究所� said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. 害羞草研究所淲e had tears in our eyes.害羞草研究所�

About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.

Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no service, so we can害羞草研究所檛 get ahold of anyone,害羞草研究所� she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, from the Hawaii State Department of Defense, told reporters Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, to distribute water, and possibly adding law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons of water on the Maui fires.

The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.

Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Oahu, officials said.

Bissen, the Maui County mayor, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that officials hadn害羞草研究所檛 yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.

Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire started up on a hillside.

害羞草研究所淚t just ripped through everything with amazing speed,害羞草研究所� he said, adding it was 害羞草研究所渓ike a blowtorch.害羞草研究所�

The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife, Judit, and dog, Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e hoping for the best,害羞草研究所� he said, 害羞草研究所渂ut we害羞草研究所檙e pretty sure it害羞草研究所檚 gone.害羞草研究所�

President Joe Biden ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search-and-rescue efforts.

害羞草研究所淥ur prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses and communities destroyed,害羞草研究所� Biden said in a statement.

Gov. Josh Green cut short a trip and planned to return Wednesday evening. In his absence, acting Gov. Sylvia Luke issued an emergency proclamation and urged tourists to stay away.

Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, bemoaned the loss of so much in the town and to him personally.

害羞草研究所淭he central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don害羞草研究所檛 know what害羞草研究所檚 left,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淓very significant thing I owned burned down today.害羞草研究所�

Audrey Mcavoy, Jennifer Sinco Kelleher And Nick Perry, The Associated Press