More than a week after wildfires first burned across the island of Maui, rescue crews have managed to reach only about a third of the area. Some of the fires are still burning, and authorities say that at least 106 people have died.

The flames have destroyed 8.8 million square meters in the resort town of Lahaina. Authorities have allowed residents to return to some areas, but they have kept downtown off-limits.

The authorities are still trying to determine what caused the fires to ignite and spread so quickly. Some experts point to types of grass brought to the island to feed cattle.

Clay Trauernicht, an assistant specialist of environmental management at the University of Hawaii, said, "They've been introduced over the past 100 years or so from other places, and they're highly adapted to fires. They thrive with fire, and they're easily ignitable. And, when they do burn, they burn incredibly fast, incredibly hot."

US President Joe Biden has promised the government's full support in recovery efforts. He'll travel to Maui on Monday to meet with survivors and first responders.