Wildfires in Hawaii have destroyed many cultural structures. (Photo: AP)
One of the worst natural disasters in Hawaii's history killed at least 89 people and wiped out the historic town of Lahaina. Four factors combined to spark devastating wildfires.
First, it all started with a small forest fire, although it is still unclear what caused it and whether it was arson-related. Firefighters were unable to put it out, and on August 9, the fire began to spread rapidly. Fanned by strong winds, the fire quickly spiraled out of control, a situation similar to recent forest fires on the Greek island of Rhodes. In both cases, the fire spread so quickly that many people panicked and jumped into the sea to escape the flames.
Second, Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm that recently passed far southwest of Hawaii, is believed by some meteorologists to have brought winds of up to 100 km/h (62 mph) that fueled the wildfires. According to some analysts, the storm caused a large difference in air pressure that led to unusually strong trade winds.
Gentle trade winds are normal in this area. They are created when air moves from a high-pressure system north of Hawaii, called the North Pacific High, to the low-pressure zone around the equator south of the state. In fact, unusually strong trade winds like these are surprising to meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
What is certain is that strong winds fueled the fires. “The mountains in West Maui accelerated those winds even more, especially at night, when this firestorm happened while people were sleeping — that was the element of surprise,” said Steven Businger, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Hawaii. So it was “a perfect storm.”
Third, Hawaii is currently experiencing a dry season with very low humidity, which makes it easy for fires to spread. The Pacific Islands typically have a tropical climate, with warm weather and little temperature variation. Extreme heat and high humidity are tempered by the normally gentle trade winds.
The dry season starts in May, if not earlier. Rain is almost non-existent in June and July, and temperatures soar, making this the peak tourist season.
August and September can be particularly hot, with average daytime temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). While tropical rain showers can occur during the dry season, storms are rare. Meteorologists, forestry experts and firefighters are sounding the alarm as the state experiences a dangerous combination of dry vegetation, strong winds and very dry air.
The National Weather Service has issued warnings ahead of the disaster. Wildfires are often caused by lightning strikes, prolonged heat, or human activity, whether intentional or negligent. A discarded cigarette butt can start a wildfire just as easily as an uncontrolled campfire.
Fourth, the situation on Maui is exacerbated by Guinea grass, an invasive plant that can grow as fast as 15cm (10 inches) a day during the rainy season and reach heights of up to 3m (10 feet). If left to dry, it can create a “tincture box,” said Clay Trauernicht, a fire scientist at the University of Hawaii. “These grasslands accumulate fuel very quickly,” he said. “In hotter and drier conditions, with changing rainfall patterns, it will only exacerbate the problem.”
Devastating wildfires have always existed, but climate change is making them more frequent. Experts say better fire management is becoming increasingly important.
“Fires know no bounds,” said Johann Georg Goldammer, head of the Global Fire Monitoring Center, based in Freiburg, Germany. “They spread across forests, nature reserves, grasslands, farmland, farms, rural areas and even urban suburbs.
That is why measures are needed to make these areas less susceptible to fire. They need to be managed to grow in such a way that fires will find less fuel and therefore be easier to control," he said.
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