By Editorial Note: Maui, Hawaii, is grappling with devastating wildfires, a
result of a dangerous blend of parched terrain and unfavorable
atmospheric conditions. The fire weather, marked by dryness, low
humidity, and fierce winds, has turned the serene island into a
battleground. Hurricane Dora, hundreds of miles away, exacerbated the
crisis with powerful gusts that fanned the flames and knocked out
power lines.
The human toll is significant, with lives lost and communities displaced.
As firefighting efforts persist, the cause of the fires – often human
activities – underscores the need for prevention and preparedness.
Additionally, climate change’s role in intensifying wildfires globally is a
sobering reminder of the urgent need for environmental action.
In the face of this tragedy, Maui’s community resilience shines, but the
road to recovery will be long. As we extend our support to those
affected, we must also address the underlying factors driving such
catastrophic events. – By Talukder Tetulia, Aug11, 2023
How did the Maui fire start? What we
know about the cause of the Lahaina
blaze
(original news BY EMILY MAE CZACHOR, UPDATED ON: AUGUST 11,
2023 / 12:16 PM / CBS NEWS)
Deadly wildfires burning in Hawaii have killed dozens and forced
thousands to evacuate, fueled by a mix of land and atmospheric
conditions that can create “fire weather.” A massive blaze destroyed
much of the historic town of Lahaina, on Maui.
The U.S. Coast Guard said crews rescued 17 people who jumped into
the Lahaina harbor in an effort to escape the flames. On Front Street, a
popular tourist destination, business owner Alan Dickar described seeing
buildings on both sides of the street “engulfed” in flames. “There were
no fire trucks at that point; I think the fire department was
overwhelmed,” Dickar told CBS Honolulu affiliate KGMB-TV.
Speaking later to CBS News’ Patrick Torphy, he added: “Maui can’t
handle this. … A lot of people just lost their jobs because a lot of
businesses burned. A lot of people lost their homes. … This is going to
be devastating for Maui.”
How to help those affected by the Maui wildfires
What caused the Maui fire?
Much of Hawaii was under a red flag warning for fire risk when the
wildfires broke out, but the exact cause of the blaze is still unknown.
“We don’t know what actually ignited the fires, but we were made aware
in advance by the National Weather Service that we were in a red flag
situation — so that’s dry conditions for a long time, so the fuel, the trees
and everything, was dry,” Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, commander general
of the Hawaii Army National Guard, said at a briefing Wednesday. That,
along with low humidity and high winds, “set the conditions for the
wildfires,” he said.
“The winds were just getting out of control. Power lines were down
everywhere.,” Maui resident J.D. Hessemer, who owned a business in
Lahaina, later told “CBS Mornings.” “We just decided it was not safe to
stay around for the day.”
The powerful winds fanning the flames were generated by Hurricane
Dora, a storm that was moving across the Pacific Ocean hundreds of
miles south of the Hawaiian islands, the National Weather Service said.
The hurricane, classified as a Category 4 by the Central Pacific
Hurricane Center on Wednesday morning, contributed to heavy wind
gusts above 60 miles per hour that tore through Maui, knocking out
power lines and damaging homes.
National Guard helicopters activated as part of the state’s emergency
response to the wildfires were grounded as the wind gusts picked up on
Tuesday evening.
Acting Hawaii Gov. Sylvia Luke issued an
emergency proclamation authorizing the deployment of National Guard
troops, and extended the state of emergency on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service noted in tweet Sunday that significant
differences in atmospheric pressure between the hurricane and the air
north of Hawaii formed a pressure gradient over the islands which, when
combined with dry conditions, posed a serious threat of fires as well as
damaging winds.
“While Hurricane Dora passes well south with no direct impacts here,
the strong pressure gradient between it & the high pressure to the north
creates a threat of damaging winds & fire weather (due to ongoing dry
conditions) from early Mon to Wed,” the agency said at the time.
How do wildfires usually start?
Almost 85% of wildfires in the United States are caused by humans,
according to the National Park Service. Fires that are sparked this way
can result accidentally from leaving campfires unattended, burning
debris, using various kinds of equipment and discarding cigarettes
improperly. Intentional acts of arson are another source of human-
caused wildfires, the agency says.
Lightning and volcanic activity are two natural causes of wildfires,
although officials note that lightning strikes are a much more common
catalyst.
Certain weather can ignite and help spread fires, with strong winds, low
relative humidity, unstable atmospheric conditions and thunderstorms
contributing to what meteorologists call “fire weather,” said Nick
Nauslar, a meteorologist and former weather forecaster at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center, in a
2018 FAQ published by the agency.
Most often, lightning strikes a tree and ignites a fire, but strong winds
can also spark power lines that go on to ignite wildfires when there is
dry brush or grass in the area, according to NOAA, which says wildfires
can spread quickly in hot, dry and windy conditions — especially when
those conditions happen simultaneously. The wildfire season has been
severe in Canada and across North America this year, as warm and dry
conditions persist while various sections of the continent experience
record heat and drought as a result of climate change.
Maui Fire officials warned this week that “erratic wind, challenging
terrain, steep slopes and dropping humidity, the direction and the
location of the fire conditions make it difficult to predict path and speed
of a wildfire,” in an alert issued Tuesday by county officials. It noted
that “fires can start at a far distance from their source” when wind
pushes embers upward and sparks are ignited downwind.
“The fire can be a mile or more from your house, but in a minute or two,
it can be at your house,” said Fire Assistant Chief Jeff Giesea in a
statement included in the alert. “Burning airborne materials can light
fires a great distance away from the main body of fire.”
Where are the fires in Maui?
Firefighters were continuing to fight flames as of early Friday morning
in Lahaina, Pulehu/Kihei and Upcountry Maui, including ongoing fires
and flare-ups, the County of Maui said.
Officials said on Thursday that the fires around Lahaina were 80%
contained, but much of the town had been destroyed.
