‘Heartbeat of Lahaina Town’: wildfire chars beloved 150-year-old banyan tree

Unprecedented wildfires raged through Hawaii's Maui island, also claiming tree described as the largest banyan in the US

The devastating fires that roared through Maui this week, killing dozens and ravaging the historic town of Lahaina, scorched a beloved tree that has been described as the largest banyan in the US.

For generations, the majestic tree along Lahaina Town's historic Front Street served as a gathering place with leafy branches that unfurled to give shade from the Hawaiian sun. By most accounts, the sprawling tree was the heart of the oceanside community - towering more than 60ft (18 meters) and anchored by multiple trunks that span nearly an acre. This year the town celebrated the banyan's 150th birthday with cake.