Devastating Wildfires Sweep Through Hawaiian Island of Maui, Leaving At Least 80 Dead and Thousands Homeless

At least 80 people have been confirmed dead in the wake of devastating wildfires that swept through the Hawaiian island of Maui. The fires, which began on Thursday, have destroyed over 2,200 buildings and left thousands of people homeless.

Communications have been difficult in the aftermath of the fires, with 30 cell towers still offline and power outages expected to last several weeks on the western side of the island.

Andrew J. Whelton, a professor of Civil, Environmental & Ecological Engineering and director of the Healthy Plumbing Consortium and Center for Plumbing Safety at Purdue University, has warned of further dangers beyond the destruction of buildings and loss of life. He has cautioned that the fires have spread through communities, burning structures that contain treated wood, plastics, paints and hazardous materials.

Officials are working to find temporary housing for more than 4,000 people affected by the fires. Dogs trained to find bodies have been sniffing through piles of rubble and ash as survivors take stock of their shattered lives and try to imagine rebuilding from nothing.

The cause of the fires is still under investigation, and the full extent of the destruction is yet to be determined.