what happened in maui hawaii

Based on the search results, a deadly wildfire occurred on the Hawaiian island of Maui on August 8, 2023, which became the deadliest natural disaster in state history. The fire spread rapidly due to very dry conditions stemming from a drought combined with powerful winds. Much of the historic town of Lahaina was destroyed, and the inferno burned thousands of residential and commercial buildings to the ground. Over 100 people died from the devastating wildfires on Maui, and officials warned that the death toll was expected to rise as they worked to contain the active blazes and assess the damage. The causes leading up to the fire and the level of incompetence from local governments were staggering. The authorities have said that they now believe 97 people died in the fire that destroyed Lahaina, not 115 as they had initially reported. The process of confirming deaths and identifying remains has been difficult.