Catastrophic' Hawaii wildfire toll reaches 55

A terrifying wildfire that left a historic Hawaiian town in charred ruins has killed at least 55 people, authorities said on Thursday, making it one of the deadliest disasters in the US state's history.

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Brushfires on the west coast of Hawaii's Maui island - fuelled by high winds from a nearby hurricane - broke out Tuesday and rapidly engulfed the seaside town of Lahaina.

The flames moved so quickly that many were caught off-guard, trapped in the streets or jumping into the ocean in a desperate bid to escape.

The fires follow other extreme weather events in North America this summer, with record-breaking wildfires still burning across Canada and a major heat wave baking the US southwest.

Europe and parts of Asia have also endured soaring temperatures, with major fires and floods wreaking havoc.

"What we've seen today has been catastrophic... likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history," Governor Josh Green said.