The wildfires on Maui have become one of the deadliest in U.S. history, leaving 99 fatalities, surpassing the 2018 Camp Fire in California.
Background: Last week, wildfires destroyed the historic town of Lahaina and left thousands of residents homeless.
* Hawaii officials are warning that the death toll is likely to rise.
* The Maui fire now ranks among the top 10 deadliest U.S. wildfires since 1871.
Deadliest Fires: Four of the top ten deadliest fires, including the Maui wildfires, have occurred since 2017.
* These include the Peshtigo Fire of 1871 in northeastern Wisconsin, which left at least 1,152 people dead and 3,000 homeless.
* Other major fires include the Thumb Fire in 1881, which killed at least 300 people in central Michigan, and the Great Fire of 1910 across Idaho, Montana and Washington, which led to approximately 86 fatalities.
Climate Change Factor: Climate change is increasing the risk of major wildfires across the U.S., and more people are moving to fire-prone areas without realizing it.
Recent Major Fires: More recent wildfires include the Camp Fire in Northern California in November 2018, which killed at least 85 people, and the California Fire Siege in 2020, which led to over 8,600 wildfires across the state and claimed 33 lives.
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