Wildfires in Hawaii could destroy the state’s tourism-dependent economy just as it recovered from a pandemic — as a pilot films dramatic video of wildfires razing Lahaina to the ground

A helicopter pilot has revealed the devastating extent of the wildfires in Hawaii when he filmed the popular tourist center of Lahiana after it was razed to the ground.

Richard Olsten said the crisis has made the city look “like a war zone,” just a day after wildfires broke out on Tuesday.

“It’s like an area has been bombed or is just in a war zone,” Olsten said Hawaii news now. “It doesn’t even seem real. It’s just awful.’

The pilot estimated he saw several hundred homes go up in flames, killing at least 36 people and prompting President Biden to declare a state of emergency.

Hawaii’s governor issued a solemn update on Thursday ahead of the new death toll figures, warning that the number of people killed by the inferno “will rise significantly.”

With about 80 percent of Lahiana’s fires under control, experts fear Hawaii’s economy could suffer from the wildfires at a time when it was showing signs of improvement after the pandemic.

The tourist resort of Lahiana has been razed to the ground by the forest fires

Passengers try to rest after flights are canceled or delayed as they flee the island of Maui

Hawaii’s economy relies heavily on tourism, with the island of Maui – where the wildfires occurred – seeing 1.5 million tourists so far this year, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

The figure represented a six percent increase from around this time last year, suggesting that the effect of the pandemic on the U.S. economy in general was diminishing as more Americans can afford a vacation.

Tourism accounts for about 80 percent of Maui’s economy, with about 75 percent of all private sector jobs associated with manufacturing, reports CNN.

But after the wildfires cause widespread damage, Maui officials have been forced to order tourists to leave the island and urge visitors to suspend their travels.

The decision comes after the state showed signs of life following the pandemic, with tourist numbers plummeting to just 793,000 in 2020, compared to more than 3.1 million the year before.

In 2021, about 2.3 million tourists flocked to the island, and in 2022, numbers nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels as 2.9 million people moved to the state.

According to the Maui Economic Development FundFour of every five dollars on the island is generated by tourism.

Officials in Lahiana have been forced to order tourists to flee the area over ‘biohazard and security concerns’

CH47 Chinook helicopters of the Hawaii Army National Guard deliver water buckets from the air on the island of Maui to help fight wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, August 9, 2023

The hall of the historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and the nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission go up in flames along Wainee Street

The unprecedented wildfires were exacerbated by tinderbox conditions in Hawaii, caused by a summer of low humidity, high temperatures and a lack of rain.

When the fires started Tuesday, the flames were fanned by high winds from Hurricane Dora, spreading the blaze further across Maui.

The fires swept across roads and quickly burned entire homes, forcing thousands to flee to safety through warlike clouds of smoke and fire.

Stunned residents say the wildfires are unlike any other to hit Hawaii in recent times, with a local saying, “All of Lahaina burned to a crisp.” It’s like an apocalypse.’

Several people were also seen plunging into the ocean to escape the sweltering heat, and two men who jumped into the harbor in Lahiana said they did so because conditions were becoming unbearable.

The men, who declined to give their names during the KHON interview, said they felt they were “in hell.”

“I saw some people running, I heard screams from hell… explosions. It felt like we were in hell, it really was. It was just indescribable,” said one of the men.

“You couldn’t really see anything, sometimes it was just obscured by the smoke, but you could still see the flames,” said the other.

They were among 50 people rescued from the waves by the Coast Guard.

While officials say they are still evaluating, it is feared that the total cost of the devastation alone could exceed $1 billion in structural damage.

Two of the men filmed jumping into the Lahaina harbor said they jumped into the water after the heat became unbearable. They were among 50 people rescued from the waves by the Coast Guard

The blistering heat caused some people to jump into the ocean on Tuesday, including the harbor in Lahiana (pictured) to escape the flames and smoke

On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, a wildfire rages in Kihei, Hawaii. Thousands of residents rushed to flee their homes on Maui as flames swept across the island, destroying parts of an ancient city in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in recent years.

Officials fear the death toll of 36 could continue to rise as they gain a clearer picture of the extent of the damage.

As the fires raged on Tuesday, locals distributed a Google spreadsheet to locate their relatives and friends, while others rushed to shelters to feed and provide aid to the displaced.

To deal with the blaze, authorities dropped hundreds of thousands of tons of water from the sky — including from Blackhawk helicopters sent by the U.S. government after President Biden declared a state of emergency and offered federal aid.

Efforts have successfully brought the fires in Lahiana under control to about 80 percent, and the Maui Police Department announced Thursday that it was banning all unauthorized access to the area to aid in the cleanup.

“The Maui Police Department extends our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones, their homes or businesses,” the police said in a statement.

After hearing reports that her home was destroyed along with her pets, Steff Baku-Kirkman reacts after wildfires caused by high winds reportedly destroyed much of the historic city of Lahaina

Officials estimate that the state will face billions of dollars in structural damage

People gather at Kahului Airport awaiting flights on Wednesday, August 9, 2023

“We are asking the community for their patience as first responders continue their efforts to suppress the active fire and prevent it from spreading to other areas.

“Right now, our priority is to ensure the safety of first responders and expedite our process of evaluating the Lahiana Town area.

“We have dedicated teams consisting of MPD (Maui Police Department), Hawaii National Guard and Maui Search and Rescue personnel currently surveying the area.

“Due to biological hazards and safety concerns, no unauthorized access to the area is permitted at this time… Agreements to allow residents to enter the area will be announced at a later date.”