Hawaii wildfires - live updates: Maui and Big Island evacuated as Hurricane Dora winds fuel blazes

Evacuations are underway on Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui as wildfires fueled by Hurricane Dora tear through buildings and push some to jump into the ocean to escape the flames.

The Hawaii National Guard was called in to support emergency workers following a proclamation issued on Tuesday by Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke – the acting governor during Governor Josh Green’s out-of-state travel.

In the Pacific Ocean south of the Hawaii archipelago, category four Hurricane Dora is pushing on the fires with winds of 130mph. At about 5am ET on Wednesday, it was located about 740 miles southwest of Honolulu, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Maui hospitals have been overwhelmed with people suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, Ms Luke told CNN, adding that the difficulty in transporting patients between facilities is impeding the emergency response.

“We are already in communication with other hospital systems about relieving the burden — the reality is that we need to fly people out of Maui to give them burn support because Maui hospital cannot do extensive burn treatment,” she told the network. “In addition to dealing with disaster, we’re dealing with major transportation issues as well.”

Key Points

• ‘911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down'

• VIDEO: Roadside devastated as Hurricane Dora and wildfire tears through island

Hawaii wildfires burn homes and force evacuations, while strong winds complicate the fight

15:00 , Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, AP

Wildfires in Hawaii fanned by strong winds burned multiple structures, forcing evacuations and closing schools in several communities Wednesday, and rescuers pulled a dozen people escaping smoke and flames from the ocean.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded to areas where people went into the ocean to escape the fire and smoky conditions, Maui County said in a statement. The Coast Guard tweeted that a crew rescued 12 people from the water off Lahaina. A firefighter responding to the West Maui fire was taken to a hospital after experiencing smoke inhalation and was in stable condition, according to Maui County.

Maui County tweeted that multiple roads in Lahaina were closed with a warning: “Do NOT go to Lahaina town.”

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Hawaii wildfires burn homes and force evacuations, while strong winds complicate the fight

Several schools closed Wednesday amid fires and evacuations

14:39 , Gustaf Kilander

Ten Maui schools are closed on Wednesday because of the fires, evacuations efforts and dangerous conditions created by the heavy winds, the Hawaii Department of Education has said.

Officials said that several schools in the southern parts of the island were closed because of the “spreading bushfires and evacuations in the area”.

Maui High School will be used as a shelter for those having been evacuated and will be closed to students and staff.

A number of schools were also shut down on Tuesday because of concerns regarding the heavy winds that the authorities aided in the spreading of the blaze.

VIDEO: Roadside devastated as Hurricane Dora and wildfire tears through island

14:12 , Lucy Leeson

Hurricane Dora is tearing through the island of Hawaii in apocalyptic scenes as people flee into the sea to escape terrifying wildfires.

Multiple evacuations are taking place across the islands in the popular tourist area of Maui County.

Sevral fires have destroyed homes and buildings across Maui and Lahaina as footage shows whole areas enguled in flames.

Acting Governor Sylvia Luke has issued an emergency proclamation and activated the Hawaii National Guard.

Authorities say “multiple structures” have been burnt and power lines down as flames are fuelled by strong winds from the hurricane.

‘911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down'

14:12 , Gustaf Kilander

Hawaii Lt Gov Sylvia Luke told CNN that the fires are impeding their efforts to transport patients between hospitals.

“We are already in communication with other hospital systems about relieving the burden — the reality is that we need to fly people out of Maui to give them burn support because Maui hospital cannot do extensive burn treatment,” she said. “In addition to dealing with disaster, we’re dealing with major transportation issues as well.”

She added that some areas of the islands have been completely cut off.

“911 is down. Cell service is down. Phone service is down. That’s been part of the problem. The Maui County has not been able to communicate with residents on the west side, the Lahaina side,” Ms Luke told the network.

“What we are trying to do is deploy individuals to go into areas with satellite phone service. We have only been in contact with perhaps one hotel because the one hotel, the people in charge of that hotel have satellite phones,” the former Hawaii House representative said. “That’s the only way you can make connection. It’s impeding communication. It’s impeding efforts to evacuate residents and we are very concerned about that.”