'Hell on Earth': Harrowing Airplane Footage Shows Extent of Maui Fire Damage

Maui’s seaside town of Lahaina has been reduced to smoke, ash and embers as wildfires continue to engulf sections of the Hawaiian island.  

On Thursday, one airplane passenger caught a harrowing glimpse at this widespread destruction, uploading a video depicting the now-blackened town. Featuring walls of fire, plumes of smoke and the singed remains of the once-tropical paradise, several Twitter users likened the damage to something out of a doomsday flick.

“Hell on Earth,” wrote @KI4SIY.

“Literally burned off the map,” observed @xposo.

As of Thursday morning, the fire has killed at least 36 people, forced more than 2,000 residents to evacuate, and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses per the New York Times. The damage is largely contained to the Lahaina, with several nearby resorts unscathed by the fires, one of the largest in Hawaii history.

We can only hope the once lush island can return to its typically tropical state.