Fresh evacuations are under way on the Hawaiian island of Maui as flames creep closer to the town of Kaanapali.

The order was implemented just hours after residents of nearby Lahaina were permitted to briefly return to take stock of the damage to the fire-ravaged historic town.

So far, 67 people have died in the fires - the deadliest natural disaster in the state's history.

Hundreds more have been reported missing and the toll may still rise.

Maui Police Department said in a post on Facebook that their priority was to "ensure the safety of the community and first responders" as they confirmed the evacuation of Kaanapali was under way.

State officials reopened Lahaina to people with proof of residency on Friday for the first time since flames swept rapidly through early this week, razing much of the town.

The queue of residents waiting to get into the town was more than a mile long, and they were warned they would be greeted by "destruction like they've not ever seen in their lives".

People who had been evacuated with only the clothes on their backs told the BBC they were concerned it may be hard to prove their residency.

A curfew will operate daily from 22:00 to 06:00 local time, and some of the hardest hit parts of the town remain restricted to search and rescue personnel.

West Maui, where Lahaina and Kaanapali are located, is still without power and water. Search crews are still in the area looking for wildfire victims.

That includes in the water. The Coast Guard said it had pulled 17 people alive from the water near the town's harbour so far. All were reported to be in a stable condition.

But Gabe Lucy, who owns a tour operator on Maui, told the BBC that he was hearing of horrific scenes.

"People were jumping in the water and I think for a lot of them the fire wrapped around so quick that the only way to escape was go down to the water's edge," said Mr Lucy, whose captains were called in to help rescue people.

He added that they were "picking up four-year-olds and putting them surfboards and pulling them out" and that he had heard reports of "bodies on the rocks".

On the Honoapiilani Highway - one of the only available routes into Lahaina - cars sat bumper-to-bumper, with families looking tired and worried alongside trucks carrying water and fuel.

One family told the BBC they had stayed in Lahaina through the worst of the fire, only leaving on Thursday to buy much-needed supplies.

Their house was still standing, but they have been "sitting in the dark".

The family told the BBC they believed the number of confirmed dead, though already high, would rise further. "On our street alone it's 50 people," one family member said.

Governor Josh Green warned Hawaiians on Friday what they found in Lahaina would be difficult.

"Lahaina is a devastated zone. They will see destruction like they've not ever seen in their lives," said the governor, who visited the town on Thursday. "Be very safe, be very careful."

He said it will take many years to repair the damage caused by wildfires on the island of Maui. More than 1,000 buildings had been destroyed in Lahaina, a coastal town with a rich history that attracts some two million tourists a year.

On Friday, Maui County officials also confirmed 12 additional deaths in Lahaina.

That makes it Hawaii's deadliest natural disaster, eclipsing the toll of a tsunami in 1960 that killed 61 people.

Hawaii's attorney general has announced a "comprehensive review" into how the authorities responded to the wildfires.

That is as questions mount over whether officials warned residents fast enough.

Despite some residents being allowed to return to Lahaina on Friday, many of the evacuees at the War Memorial Stadium shelter, about 20 miles (32km) from the historic town, say they are not in a rush to go back.

Famous banyan tree and centuries-old church hit by Hawaii fires
Most of them witnessed their homes beginning to catch fire as they barely escaped and are certain that nothing remains to return to.

Many told the BBC they were just grateful to be alive.

Map showing where the fires on Maui have been over the past 7 days and which have been burning in the last 24 hours
Rebuilding is expected to require billions of dollars. Thousands of people have been left homeless.

There are six shelters in operation on Maui for those displaced, and officials said they were drafting a plan to house them in hotels and tourist rental properties.

In recent days, donations have been rolling in to relief and aid organisations on Maui.

The island is home to many wealthy people, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He and his partner Lauren Sanchez have pledged $100m (£79m) to help the fire victims.

Wildfires on Hawaii's Maui island and Big Island began on Tuesday night. The cause is still not known but once lit, hurricane winds and dry weather helped fuel the flames.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1243 HRS, AUG 12, 2023
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