Hawaii wildfires: What caused the deadly blazes and is climate change to blame?

Wildfires on Hawaii's Maui island and Big Island have killed at least 96 people, forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate, and devastated the historic resort city of Lahaina. 

The blaze which devastated the town of Lahaina is one of the deadliest US wildfires in over 100 years, according to research from the National Fire Protection Association. 

Authorities have warned that the effort to search for and identify victims is still in its early stages. Dogs trained to detect human remains, called cadaver dogs, have been called in to help identify victims in the wreckage of buildings. 

Here are some key questions and answers about the disaster.

The official causes of the fires, which started on Tuesday night (8 August), have not yet been determined. 

However, the National Weather Service had issued warnings for the Hawaiian Islands for high winds and dry weather - conditions ripe for wildfires - which it cancelled late Wednesday.

A lawsuit has also been filed against Hawaii's main electricity provider. It claims that power lines blown over by Hurricane Dora led to the spread of the Lahaina wildfire. 

"These power lines foreseeably ignited the fast-moving, deadly, and destructive Lahaina Fire, which destroyed homes, businesses, churches, schools, and historic cultural sites," it alleges. 

Nearly 85 per cent of US wildfires are caused by humans, according to the US Forest Service. Natural causes include lightning and volcanic activity.

In Hawaii, less than 1 per cent of fires are due to natural causes, according to Elizabeth Pickett, co-executive director of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization. The Hawaiian Islands have six active volcanoes, including one on Maui.

Around 14 per cent of Hawaii is suffering from