2023-08-21 16:30:00
TRAGEDY – The ferocious fires that ravaged Maui, an island in the Hawaiian archipelago, on August 8 forced the inhabitants to take refuge in the ocean, so desperate were they to have to face this terrible disaster. Much of the town of Lahaina is in ashes, and the death toll – which will most likely be revised upwards – stands at more than 110 victims. For the United States, it is an echo of the “Camp Fire”, this gigantic forest fire which had consumed Butte County in California from November 8 to 26, 2018. The city of Paradise had been swept away, with destroying 19,000 buildings and killing 85 people.
“Hawaii’s ecosystem is not adapted to fire. It is destroyed by fire”says Elizabeth Pickett, co-executive director of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (Hawaii Wildland Fire Management Organisation). According to her, “There are no good and bad fires. We have bad fire, period”.
The role of wind in forest fires
At first glance, the Maui fires are due to what makes wildfires so deadly all over the world: the wind. Hurricane Dora, moving hundreds of miles to the south, is a low pressure system. Meanwhile, north of Hawaii, a high pressure system has formed. These opposing systems created wind gusts of 80 miles per hour (nearly 130 kilometers per hour) on Maui, multiplying the force of the flames.
Once the fire reached the town of Lahaina, nestled on the coast at the foot of heights concentrating the blast of the wind, its spread was unstoppable, from one structure to another. California wildfires, identically fanned by the wind, have been known to spit embers miles from the blaze itself, starting new outbreaks at a distance.
Maui is currently in the dry season and its climate remains relatively arid all year round according to its average rainfall. But parts of the island were already drier than usual, to the point of experiencing moderate to severe drought, according to the US Drought Watch.
Decreasing humidity in the landscape means vegetation is drying out and piling up, ready to burn. Dry winds exacerbate the problem by whipping the landscape and sucking up any remaining moisture. In general, the warmer the atmosphere, the greater the desiccation.
Power lines contribute to the spread of fire
A lawsuit has also been filed against Hawaii’s main electricity supplier. She alleges downed power lines from Hurricane Dora caused the Lahaina Fire to spread.
“These power lines predictably caused the Lahaina Fire, which moved quickly, was deadly and destructive, and destroyed homes, businesses, churches, schools and historic sites,” indicates the complaint.
According to the US Forest Service, nearly 85% of wildfires in the country are human-caused. Natural causes include lightning and volcanic activity. In Hawaii, less than 1% of fires are from natural causes, according to Elizabeth Pickett. The Hawaiian Islands have six active volcanoes, including one on Maui.
US President Joe Biden, criticized for avoiding speaking out on the fire on the Hawaiian island of Maui, will visit the archipelago today. He will oversee reconstruction efforts after the country’s deadliest fire in more than a century.
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