Hawaii wildfire disaster

The wildfire broke out unexpectedly before dawn and continued into the afternoon of August 9 (local time) on the islands of Maui and Hawaii (or the Big Island) in the state of Hawaii, amid strong winds caused by distant Hurricane Dora that made the fire even more intense. In addition to the 36 people killed and dozens injured, at least 271 structures were burned or damaged, according to officials in Hawaii.

Apocalyptic Scenery

Hawaii Governor Josh Green, who cut short his vacation to return to deal with the disaster, said yesterday that much of the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui has been destroyed and hundreds of local families have been evacuated. He plans to submit a request for a disaster declaration to US President Joe Biden after a preliminary assessment of the damage, possibly in the next day or two, according to CNN.

Satellite image from August 9 shows a fire-ravaged area in Lahaina.

The exact cause of the fire is still unknown, but several factors, including high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation, may have contributed to the disaster, according to General Kenneth Hara of the Hawaii State Defense Department. The fire appears to have first burned vegetation and then quickly spread to residential areas, accompanied by winds of up to 60 miles per hour. The fire then spread to Lahaina, destroying wooden buildings in the center of the town, which dates back to the 1700s and is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Aerial video showed dozens of homes and businesses in Lahaina destroyed by fire, including structures on popular tourist street Front Street. Satellite imagery from Maxar showed a number of historic sites in Lahaina burned to the ground, including one of the largest banyan trees in the United States, which was brought from India in 1873. "We just had the worst disaster I've ever seen. The whole of Lahaina was burned to the ground. It was like the end of the world," said Mason Jarvi, a Lahaina resident, as quoted by The Guardian .

"Paradise" closed

More than 11,000 tourists were evacuated from Maui on August 9, the Hawaii Department of Transportation said. Although at least 16 roads were closed, the Maui airport remained open and airlines slashed fares in an effort to get tourists off the island. About 1,500 people were expected to fly out of Maui on August 10. US military helicopters were deployed to control the fire. The US Coast Guard was dispatched to Lahaina to rescue people who jumped into the sea to escape. Twelve people were rescued and taken to a boat.

While the recovery from the wildfires could take years, Green said Maui County does not have the infrastructure to house those displaced long-term. He also urged tourists not to visit Maui at this time, as many hotels and other accommodations will need to be requisitioned for temporary housing. "We will welcome visitors back to this paradise after the wildfires are over and we can rebuild," Green told CNN.

Summer of wildfires

The situation in Hawaii echoes the devastation elsewhere in the world this summer. Wildfires fueled by record heat have forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate in Greece, Spain, Portugal and other parts of Europe, while western Canada has seen unusually severe blazes. Scientists say human-caused climate change, fueled by the use of fossil fuels, is increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events.

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