Map: See Where the Hawaii Wildfires Spread in MauiKaanapali Hawaii Area of detail Approximate area of fires detected through Thursday MAUI Lahaina Launiupoko Hawaii Kaanapali Area of detail Lahaina MAUI Approximate area of fires detected through Thursday Launiupoko Source: New York Times analysis of NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System data Note: Darker areas indicate a higher confidence of fire activity. Wind-fueled wildfires that tore through the island of Maui in Hawaii on Tuesday and Wednesday have claimed at least 36 lives, forced the evacuation of thousands and decimated Lahaina, a historic tourist town. June 25 Aug. 9 Maxar TechnologiesTourists flock to Hawaii in large part for its tropical landscape and lush forests, but the state has also become increasingly vulnerable to wildfires. The area burned annually by wildfires in Hawaii has quadrupled in recent decades. Invasive grasses that are highly flammable have taken over native vegetation in some areas, and climate change has exacerbated dry and hot conditions that have allowed many wildfires to spread more quickly.

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Organizations: New York Times, NASA, Resource Management, Maxar Technologies, U.S . Drought Locations: Hawaii, Maui Kaanapali Hawaii, Lahaina Launiupoko Hawaii Kaanapali, Lahaina MAUI, Maui, Lahaina, Maui County