Why the Hawaii Wildfire Disaster? 100km Strong Winds and 30% Decrease in Rainfall

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Recently, a wildfire broke out on Maui Island in Hawaii, USA, resulting in over 100 deaths, and various analyses are emerging regarding the cause of the large-scale wildfire.

The wildfire, which started on the western coast of Maui Island on the 8th (local time), spread rapidly riding on the strong winds from Hurricane Dora that occurred nearby, turning the coastal town of Lahaina into ashes.

This is the worst wildfire in the United States in 100 years. As of the 16th, the death toll has reached 110. Since search efforts are ongoing, there are also predictions that the number of deaths could more than double.

The primary reason cited for the wildfire spreading on such a large scale is climate change. It is attributed to the recent decrease in rainfall, which has intensified drought conditions.

On the 8th (local time), a large wildfire broke out on the island of Maui, Hawaii, USA, engulfing church and missionary buildings in flames. Photo by AP and Yonhap News.

According to data released by the US Drought Monitor, about 16% of Maui County is experiencing extreme drought, and 20% is in moderate drought. A 2015 report by researchers from the University of Hawaii and the University of Colorado also showed that Hawaii’s rainfall has been steadily decreasing. Since 1990, rainfall in Hawaii has decreased by 31% during the wet season and by 6% during the dry season.

Clark University meteorologist Abby Frazier analyzed that factors such as ▲a weakened La Ni?a ▲a thinning cloud layer over Hawaii ▲and reduced rainfall due to large storms moving northward have contributed to the drought. Frazier told the New York Times (NYT) that all of these may be related to rising temperatures, stating, "It seems like there are signals of climate change in everything we see."

A firefighter from Maui County, Hawaii, USA, is spraying water on the ground in a canyon in Kula, Maui Island, on the 13th (local time). Photo by Reuters·Yonhap News

The strong winds that blew during the fire also accelerated the spread of the wildfire. Due to the influence of Dora, wind speeds reached nearly 130 km/h on Big Island and Oahu this week, and 108 km/h on Maui.

There is also the possibility of human error. Hawaii has invasive grasses such as dangmipul, Kikuyu grass, and sourgrass, which are highly flammable and prone to catching fire easily. Despite warnings about their vulnerability to wildfires, it is criticized that no related measures were taken.

According to the British daily The Guardian on the 16th (local time), the Maui government committee in Hawaii released a report in July 2021 stating that Hawaii was becoming vulnerable to fires due to invasive grasses. The report urged measures, noting that invasive plants filling abandoned sugarcane fields are combustible and provide a source of rapidly burning fuel.

However, authorities are criticized for neglecting the vegetation, which led to the large-scale wildfire. Clay Trauernicht, an ecosystem expert at the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus, criticized, "The land around Lahaina (on Maui Island) was all sugarcane from the 1860s to the late 1990s," adding, "Since no action was taken afterward, problems related to invasive grasses and fire risk have occurred."

Meanwhile, although the initial cause of the fire has not been confirmed, there are indications that it started due to power line damage. According to a tip video released by foreign media, at 6:37 a.m. on the 8th, a power line in Lahaina was cut by strong winds and fell onto dry grass, sparking flames that reportedly led to the large wildfire.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.