The Lahaina fire
The deadliest American wildfire in a century burns a historic town in hours.
- When
- Known to
- ± 12 hours
- Era
- Contemporary, Holocene
- Where
- Lahaina, Hawaii, United States · 20.8783° N, 156.6825° W
Fanned by hurricane winds through invasive grasses, fire destroyed Lahaina on Maui on 8 August 2023, killing 102 people. The town had been the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Warning sirens were never sounded, and the utility's decision not to de-energise lines in extreme wind led to a multi-billion-dollar settlement.