A wildfire burns on the island of Maui near an intersection in Lahaina, Hawaii, August 9, 2023.
Wildfires burned across Hawaii on Wednesday after strong winds from Hurricane Dora and dry conditions ignited blazes and prompted evacuations across the state.
The Coast Guard rescued people from the ocean near Lahaina, Maui, as they went into the water to escape a fast-moving fire, NBC News reported, and the historic downtown area surrounding Front Street was partly destroyed, according to Hawaii News Now and other reports.
Sylvia Luke issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday that said the fires had burned "hundreds" of acres and forced a number of schools and roads to close.
The emergency proclamation said evacuations were underway in the Kohala Ranch, Kula, and Lahaina areas, as the fires threaten to affect the health and welfare of "a substantial number of persons."
Persons:
Sylvia Luke, Luke, Josh Green, Green, Governor Luke, Hurricane Dora
Organizations:
Coast Guard, NBC News, Hawaii News, Hawaii National Guard, Gov, Hurricane
Locations:
Maui, Lahaina , Hawaii, Hawaii, Hurricane Dora, Lahaina, Kula