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This small historic tourist-town on Maui was one of the most scenic places in the state.

A huge fire driven by strong winds swept down from the hills and totally destroyed it. The number of dead is currently at 55 and climbing as crews search the ruins. There are stories about drivers in cars along the beach road being forced to abandon their cars and jump into the sea to escape the heat and flames.

Map below, from the Wall Street Journal. All the structures in red burned

Absolutely appalling. All those beautiful and historic locations and homes reduced to ashes so suddenly. Where to go after that? What to do?

The death toll was 99 last I heard, and only about 20% of the town has been searched. It's currently the fifth deadliest wildfire in US history and rising fast in the charts. It's passed the fire that destroyed Paradise California a few years ago. Paradise Calif was a larger town but most of the population made it out and wasn't caught between a wall of fire and the ocean, like here. It looks like many people here had no warning and had no chance to escape. So they just died...