Picture this: Hawaii, known for its lush green landscapes and tropical paradise, is now facing a new reality – frequent fires. Yes, you read that right. The once-unthinkable is now the new normal for the beautiful islands.
“We started putting out information about this in 2014,” said Trauernicht, a fire expert. “This is not just a Lahaina problem. They just got the worst outcome you can imagine.”
Surprising Discoveries
For Chris Speicher, a real estate agent on Maui, the topic of fire risk wasn’t commonly discussed. Clients would ask about hurricanes, but rarely fire. After all, people don’t usually associate Hawaii with fires.
“It’s a surprise to people,” Speicher said. He himself didn’t fully comprehend how dry some parts of the islands could be until he moved to the West Maui coast in 2018. To his amazement, he found that West Maui is green for only a couple of months a year. The rest of the time, it resembles a desert.
As the once-thriving sugarcane and pineapple plantations shut down, the land became covered in nonnative, highly flammable grasses that are difficult to remove. This change in vegetation has contributed to the increased risk of wildfires.
Over the next five years, Speicher faced multiple evacuations from his homes due to nearby wildfires. In 2023, a wildfire caused by hurricane winds burned through thousands of acres, including parts of Lahaina, causing significant damage.
The Last Straw
Living under the constant threat of fires took its toll on Speicher and his family. Even though their home survived the fires, they were evacuated twice more in the following weeks. That was when they made a difficult decision to leave Hawaii altogether. The stress and constant alertness became overwhelming. They now live in Maryland but continue to sell Maui properties.
The risk and consequences of fires in Hawaii are alarming. According to a federal analysis, Hawaii has the highest risk of “fire consequence” among all 50 states. This means that the likelihood of high-intensity fires near homes is significantly higher in Hawaii.
“When we did this modeling four years ago and we saw how high Hawaii was ranking, we questioned ourselves,” said Joe Scott, one of the lead researchers. After reevaluating the data, they confirmed that Hawaii’s risk of wildfires was indeed high.
The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in Hawaii are a cause for concern. As communities grapple with the new normal, it is crucial to raise awareness about fire risk and ensure that preventive measures are in place.
To learn more about this escalating wildfire threat in Hawaii, visit F5mag.com.
Source: NBC News