The Pacific Ocean is home to the American state of Hawaii. It is an archipelago made up of a collection of islands that is located southwest of North America in the central Pacific Ocean.
Hawaii is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, which features immaculate beaches, lush tropical scenery, and distinctive volcanic structures. It is a well-liked vacation spot where people go to surf, snorkel, and go hiking.
The devastating wildfires in Hawaii have forced thousands of residents to evacuate and caused power shortages. A combination of regional and climatic factors that favor “fire weather” have made the flames worse.
On Maui, the charming town of Lahaina was one of the worst-affected regions; a huge fire destroyed a sizable amount of the town.
Expansion and starting phase of the wildfire:-
The tremendous wind gusts that raced over the island caused the Maui fires to start in vegetation at first before quickly spreading into residential areas. The fire rapidly spread over coastal Lahaina, showing incredible speed and ferocity as it sped through intersections and jumped from one wooden building to another in the town center, a location of historical value.
The situation resembled what specialists refer to as a “wildland urban interface fire,” in which the flames started in vegetation but quickly extended into urban areas, engulfing buildings one after the other. According to climate scientist Daniel Swain, a number of factors combined to cause this occurrence, which caused the fire to spread from its original position into the heavily populated urban area and cause structure-to-structure combustion.
Factors which is fueled of the wildfire:-
Several things have contributed to the Hawaii wildfires, but strong winds and unfavorable weather have been the main drivers. Although the specific cause of the fires is yet unknown, they broke out against a backdrop of strong winds and low humidity, which the National Weather Service had warned would increase the chance of a fire spreading quickly.
Hawaii was already dealing with drought conditions during its dry season, which made the issue worse. Hurricane Dora was located in numerous places.
How climate change influencing the Hawaii wildfires:-
The influence of climate change on Hawaii’s wildfires is becoming more apparent, owing to the consequences of increased fossil fuel use. The climate issue has increased the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, such as the current wildfires on Maui.
The wet season in Hawaii, according to Clay Trauernicht, a fire scientist at the University of Hawaii, can promote the rapid spread of exotic plants such as Guinea grass. This grass has the potential to grow quickly.
Climate change has consequences that go beyond merely higher temperatures; it also increases the chance of more powerful hurricanes. These amplified storms, in turn, can cause more powerful wind occurrences, such as the one that caused the Maui fires.
It is critical to acknowledge that the ongoing calamity on Maui is the consequence of numerous contributing elements, with the climate crisis unquestionably playing a significant role. Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz, a postdoctoral researcher at British Columbia University.
Maui County is suing Hawaiian Electric Company over the flames that ravaged Lahaina, claiming that the utility should have turned off electricity as heavy winds blew in during dry conditions.
