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Fires fanned by the winds of a distant hurricane devastated Maui and other parts of Hawaii, forcing some residents to flee for their lives and turning tourist destinations on the tropical islands into flaming infernos.

Some Maui residents jumped into the ocean to escape the smoke and fire conditions on Wednesday, prompting the US Coast Guard to rescue them, according to a Maui County press release.

Official details on the extent of casualties and building damages were scant early on Wednesday morning, but panicked residents fleeing the flames posted videos and photos on social media showing apocalyptic clouds of smoke billowing up over formerly paradisiacal beaches and palm trees.

The situation in Hawaii mirrored scenes of devastation elsewhere in the world this summer, as wildfires caused by record-setting heat forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in Greece, Spain, Portugal, and other parts of Europe.

Scientists say that human-caused climate change - driven by fossil fuel use - is increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events. They have long warned government officials to drastically reduce emissions to prevent climate catastrophe.

Dustin Johnson, from San Diego, was in Lahaina, a residential and tourist area with a commercial district in West Maui, working for a charter boat company that takes tourists on two-hour tours from the Lahaina harbor.

"I was the last one off the dock when the firestorm came through the banyan trees and took everything with it," he told Reuters in an interview at the airport in Maui. "And I just ran out and helped everyone I could along the way."

According to the University of Hawaii, large fires are an almost annual occurrence in some parts of the Hawaiian archipelago, though the scope of these fires is unusual.

In an MSNBC report on Wednesday afternoon, a Lahaina resident reported that "every boat was burning" in the harbour and that "the harbour is gone."

By Tuesday night, hundreds of acres had already burned and roads and schools had closed in parts of Hawaii and Maui Counties, according to an emergency proclamation issued by acting Hawaii Governor Sylvia Luke. Hawaii County encompasses the Big Island, which lies south of Maui.

In Maui, the fires also destroyed parts of Kula, a residential area in the inland, mountainous Upcountry region, the proclamation said.

Maui County spokesperson Mahina Martin told USA TODAY on Wednesday that fires were also affecting Kihei, home to a mix of residential homes, condominiums, short-term vacation rentals and visitor facilities in South Maui.

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More than 600,000 flights between Sydney and Melbourne could be powered by fuel made from agricultural waste in 2025 if Australian industry and governments make changes to support sustainable aviation fuel, a report has found.

With greater investments, the biofuel could also power 90 per cent of all domestic flights by 2050 and significantly cut aviation emissions.

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap report, released by CSIRO and Boeing on Thursday, also found a biofuel industry could create jobs and export opportunities in Australia, though it warned the industry would need more investment and research to reach its potential.

The study comes one week before the Jet Zero Council is due to meet for the first time and after Qantas and Virgin announced plans to use more biofuel to meet environmental targets.

CSIRO senior manager and report author Max Temminghoff said Australia was uniquely placed to meet growing demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) because of its strong agricultural industry.

Aviation biofuel can be created using waste from farming, such as sugarcane, sawmill residue, sorghum, used cooking oil, canola and cottonseed.

Mr Temminghoff said Australia had enough feedstock that, if refined locally, could create 60 per cent of jet fuel needed for domestic flights in 2025 and 90 per cent of the fuel needed in 2050.

"The road map estimates that Australia is currently sitting on enough resources to produce almost five billion litres of SAF by 2025," he said.

"That's enough fuel to power 640,000 Melbourne to Sydney return flights on a Boeing 737."

The agricultural waste could be turned into biofuels using alcohol-to-jet technology, the report found, or the Fischer-Tropsch process being tested in Perth.

Boeing APAC regional sustainability lead Heidi Hauf said producing SAF locally would create regional jobs and export opportunities, and reduce Australia's reliance on foreign providers.

Alternative technologies, she said, including "battery and fuel cell-powered planes" were still too limited in their range.

"SAF offers the largest potential for reduction aviation emissions in the near-term," she said.

But the report identified challenges to creating a biofuel industry, including a lack of local refining facilities, competition from markets including Japan and Singapore, and limited public awareness.

The report called for new policies to support SAF creation and distribution, targets for its use, further research, and better feedstock collection and processing.

Mr Temminghoff said demand for jet fuel was expected to rise by 75 per cent in 2050, underlining the need for urgent action.

"The industry realises it's on a bit of a burning platform," he said.

"It needs to shift and this is going to allow us to be flying a big greener by 2050."

Worldwide, the aviation industry has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Qantas has committed to using 10 per cent biofuel to cut carbon emissions by 25 per cent in 2030 and Virgin Australia recently tested a flight using a 30 per cent sustainable fuel blend.

© AAP 2023

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Gold Coast hooker Sam Verrills will have a bone graft on his troublesome collarbone as part of season-ending surgery that should have him fit and firing in 2024.

The 2019 premiership winner has broken his collarbone twice in the past 12 months.

Titans interim coach Jim Lenihan told AAP an infection post-surgery had caused the 24-year-old ongoing grief and he will go under the knife and play no further part in the 2023 season.

"He broke his collarbone at the Roosters last year before he came to us and got a plate in it," Lenihan told AAP.

"Sam did it again at the Titans in a contact drill on day one of pre-season and they put another plate in and more screws.

"It got infected after that procedure and they cleaned it up. The infection is back and it starting to pop through the skin where they cut him.

"The concern is around the bone healing properly so they are going to clean the infection up and do a bone graft to reinvigorate the healing process and make sure it is right to go."

Verrills missed three months of action this year after re-injuring his collarbone in round two. He has shown incredible commitment to the cause to battle on under duress.

"Not many people know what Sam has been doing for us just to get to game day," Lenihan said.

"He is always padded up at training and in games but he is just getting on with it.

"He is at an age where he is mentally and physically mature."

The rehabilitation process will be several months but Lenihan said the club was taking a long-term view to get Verrills ready to attack the 2024 season.

"Getting it all sorted now gets Sam more of a fitness base," Lenihan said.

"He will be able to do all the running while it heals and be ready to play at full fitness next season."

Verrills is a key plank in the Titans' 2024 plans under incoming coach Des Hasler.

The Titans have options in the spine with Jayden Campbell and AJ Brimson class fullbacks and veteran Kieran Foran and Tanah Boyd growing in their understanding in the halves.

"It is important for us to have a good hooker and Sam is with us long-term," Lenihan said.

"Des certainly wants him to be an important part of our machine. We just need to get him right so he is fit and firing for us."

The Titans travel to Cronulla on Saturday night with captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui back from a three-match suspension.

Brimson has been rested as he recovers from an oblique tear and rib soreness which ruled him out of last week's loss to New Zealand Warriors.

Campbell will once again wear the No.1 jersey.

© AAP 2023

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Someone in Florida has won a $US1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.

Before the big win on Tuesday night there had been 31 consecutive drawings since the last time someone won the jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the third-largest in US history.

Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to odds of one in 302.6 million.

The $US1.58 billion ($A2.41 billion) payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot is an estimated $US783.3 million ($A1.2 billion).

The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the US Virgin Islands.

The winning numbers drawn were: 13 19 20 32 33 and the yellow ball: 14.

© AP 2023