I read a comment that referred to brush fires, rather than forest fires.
The problem with Lahaina was it was packed tight with old wooden buildings. Picturesque, but highly flammable.
The wind from the hurricane blew from the east, towards the ocean, rather than, more typically, away. So the wind drove the fire straight into town.
Meanwhile, it seems many people tried to escape via the highway that passes through downtown. Perhaps the bypass around town was blocked or seemed more dangerous because of the bush fires.
But as the fire was blown into the town, I bet traffic quickly came to a standstill as some people panicked and abandoned their cars, and all those people were trapped downtown, the whole place going up in flames at once, the wind blowing the fire towards the water.
Truly horrific.
JMO
