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A satellite image shared by Nasa provides a stark visual of the intensity of the deadly fire that has swept the Hawaiian island of Maui, resulting in at least 106 deaths. These fires, which began last week, are the deadliest the United States has seen in over a century.

The town of Lahaina on the west coast of the island was hit the hardest, with fast-moving flames completely devastating the area on August 8. Reports indicate that none of the island’s 80 alarms were triggered, giving residents little time to escape. Many survivors sought refuge in the sea and have now returned to find their homes and livelihoods destroyed.

The satellite image, captured by the Landsat 8 satellite’s Operational Land Imager (OLI), was taken on August 8 at 10:25 PM local time. It reveals a second major fire northeast of Kihei, as well as several smaller blazes further east on the island. The active fires are shown in yellow on the image, which is observed in shortwave infrared light and overlaid on a natural-color mosaic image.

Unlike other areas where wildfires are a natural part of the cycle, fires are not common in this lush archipelago. However, decreasing rainfall since 1990 has resulted in moderate to severe drought conditions in parts of Maui, making the area more susceptible to wildfires.

The blazes on Maui were exacerbated by high-pressure systems to the north and Hurricane Dora to the south. These weather factors brought strong winds of up to 67 miles per hour, which helped spread the fires with deadly speed. Under extreme conditions, wildfires can move faster than a moving car, putting anyone in their path in extreme danger.

The full extent of the wildfires in Maui and other Hawaiian islands is still being assessed.

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