The Scary Wild Fires in Hawai and the Scarier Link to Climate Change

Over the past week, catastrophic wildfires destroyed many Hawaiian towns killing more than 100 people and displacing thousands of people. The fires, which are believed to be the deadliest in the US in the last century, erupted on three of Hawaii’s islands forcing visitors to flee and residents to seek emergency shelter. It is possible that power lines likely caused Maui's first reported fire.

Since the beginning of August, most of Maui has been under an “abnormally dry” level of drought, according to the US Drought Monitor. But beginning on Tuesday, 8 August, a portion of Maui escalated to a “severe drought” level making the area more susceptible to wildfires. Though the islands are no stranger to some wildfires, the number of fires has increased exponentially over the past century due to human activity and an increase in invasive, flammable grasses, according to the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO). “Nonnative grasslands and shrublands now cover nearly one-quarter of Hawaii’s total land area and, together with a warming, drying climate and year-round fire season, greatly increase the incidence of larger fires,” the HWMO wrote in a factsheet. The dry vegetation combined with the drought conditions made for the perfect environment for wildfires. But what may have caused the explosion in wildfire conditions is the strong winds brought on by Hurricane Dora, a Category 5 hurricane located several hundred miles off the coast of Hawaii.

Firefighters rushing last week to slow the wildfires, found that hydrants were running dry and water pressure so weak that the fire promptly jumped beyond their efforts to contain it. The demoralized crews had to watch the fire advance on Lahaina, on the island of Maui, and focus instead on evacuations. The lack of water forced firefighters into an extraordinary rush to save lives by risking their own, and it has left officials and residents searching for answers about how the community can better prepare for a world of fiercer winds and drier land.

However, there is no doubt that climate change is the real reason for this catastrophe. Photos and videos from Maui show the destruction the fires have caused, with some neighbourhoods including the historic town of Lahaina, nearly burned to ash.

Wildfires have been a part and parcel of human existence and is a critical part of the ecosystem. A healthy fire is key to ensuring that forests remain robust and resilient. It also aids the natural replenishment of nutrients in the soil, helps sunlight reach the forest floors, and encourages the germination of seeds. It is the increasingly intense nature of the wildfires – aided by the warming weather, dry conditions and change in rain cycles – that is now becoming a source of worry. Experts have compared it akin to the difference between throwing a lighted matchstick on a pile of wet, green wood and on dry kindling. And increasingly, climate change is determining the degree of dryness of the latter. July 2023, for instance, saw the highest temperatures on record across the planet and evidence suggests that the record will be broken sooner than later.