Before-and-after satellite photos show how Maui's wildfires have turned a coastal town into ash

Before and after images of Lahaina on Maui's west coast.Maxar Technologies/Reuters

• Maui's historic town of Lahaina has been decimated by the wildfires raging this week.
• Dozens of people are dead, sites built in the 1800s and the island's oldest tree have been destroyed.

Parts of Maui have been devastated this week by wildfires raging across the island, killing dozens of people, forcing thousands to evacuate, and wiping out power and cell phone service in the hardest hit areas.

The western coast of Maui has been hit particularly hard, and the historic town of Lahaina is now mostly rubble.

The Maui Fire Department said in a press release Wednesday that the town suffered "widespread damage" with over 271 structures damaged by the fire.

Before-and-after satellite images show how the culturally significant town, once home to around 12,000 people, has been reduced to ash.