The Old Lahaina Courthouse used to house an art gallery and heritage museum but was destroyed by fast-moving wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii, on August 8, 2023. (AFP)

On the Hawaiian island of Maui, wildfires have burned historic landmarks, museums, residences, and other structures in the town of Lahaina. Local officials reported 80 deaths because of the raging fires.

According to flyovers by the US Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department, the wildfires spread swiftly on August 8, affecting more than 271 properties in the region. Strong winds from a distant hurricane, dry air underlying drought conditions, as well as deforestation, and the introduction of non-native, fire-prone grasses, were listed as reasons for the region's increased susceptibility to fire by a Weather Channel meteorologist and research.

“The wildfires on Maui have ripped through the town of Lahaina with devastating consequences and we are immensely saddened by the loss of life, homes, and historical and cultural sites,” Jonathan Yukio Clark, director of the Schaefer International Gallery at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, told the Art Newspaper on August 10. “A number of cultural sites located in the town of Lahaina were destroyed in the fire, but it will take time to know the full impact and specifics.”

The Lahaina Restoration Foundation, which is in charge of 14 key historic houses in the town, has lost numerous of its properties to fire.

The two-story Wo Hing Temple Museum, which was established in 1912 as a religious and social hall for the island's Chinese immigrants, and a 150-year-old banyan tree are among them. According to an AFP aerial shot obtained on August 10, just the outer envelope of the Old Lahaina Courthouse, which also housed the Lahaina Heritage Museum, remains.

The museum gave visitors a detailed look at the town's history, including its indigenous beginnings before colonization, its evolution through missionary endeavors, and the impact of the whaling industry, plantations, and tourism.

The Baldwin House, which was built in 1834 and is usually regarded as the oldest home still standing on Maui, was also destroyed by fire.

According to ABC News, other historic sites affected by the fires include the Waiola Church and Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, where several monarchs are buried, and the 122-year-old Pioneer Inn. “Many homes, businesses, and historic places have been damaged and destroyed,” Lahaina Restoration Foundation executive director Theo Morrison told the Art Newspaper in a statement, adding that “We need to come together now to make sure our town recovers from this.”

That said, the foundation has launched a campaign to raise funds for Lahaina’s recovery effort.