Hawaii fires: Death toll hits over 100

A devastating picture is continuing to emerge from Maui, Hawaii with ongoing rescue missions from the wildfires.

Deadly and devastating wildfires in Maui, part of the Hawaiian chain of islands, have so far killed over 100 people, with the death toll continuing to rise as rescue and recovery continues.

The fires, which begun on August 8th spread rapidly and destroyed over 2000 buildings, most of which were residential. It has become the deadliest US wildfire in over a century. Billions in costs are estimated in losses.

Though the specific cause to what ignited the fires is still being investigated, the fires were caused by a combination of very dry weather and high winds from Hurricane Dora, which set the ideal scene for flames to take hold.

The significant air pressure difference between high pressure in the north, and low pressure to the south of Hawaii, where Dora was situated, also contributed, creating a strong pressure gradient, alongside damaging winds.

According to statistics from the National Park Service, 85% of wildfires in the United States are started by humans, as a result of carelessness, leaving campfires unattended, burning debris, discarding cigarettes improperly, along with arson.

The largest fire in Lahaina is 85% contained as of early Wednesday August 16th, after burning through over 2170 acres of land. In Kula, fires are 75% contained, while smaller fires elsewhere are now either 100% contained or extinguished.