The wildfires on the island of Maui, in the state of Hawaii, in the United States, spread rapidly, leaving 36 people dead so far. satellite images (look above) registered the difference of the location before and after the flames
The fire has been fueled by a combination of strong winds and dry conditions — and complicated by the island’s geography.
Together, the factors make fighting the unprecedented fire difficult. The situation worries and overwhelms local authorities.
Several neighborhoods were burned and the west side from the island was almost isolated, with only one road open, while mislandres of people were removed in their homes. Some people fled to the sea to escape from the smoke and from thes flames.
The Deputy Governor of hawaiiSylvia Luke, said at a press conference in press that authored themfrom theinjustfrom the were evaluating the from theus. “It will be a long road to recovery,” inshe clarified.
Drought helps to spread fire
Some fires happen in parts of the island that suffer from drought. Moderate drought covers more than a third of Maui, with some areas experiencing severe drought, according to the US Drought Monitor.
Dry land and vegetation can provide fuel for wildfires, which can quickly turn deadly if strong winds help spread the flames towards communities.
As scientists try to fully understand how the climate crisis will affect Hawaii, they said the drought will get worse as global temperatures rise: Warmer temperatures increase the amount of water the atmosphere can absorb — which dries out the landscape.
Drought conditions are becoming more extreme and common in Hawaii and other Pacific islands, according to the Fourth US National Climate Assessment released in 2018. Rainfall generally decreases in Hawaii over time with the number of days consecutive droughts increasing, the scientists noted in the report.
And the climate crisis has meant that droughts that once occurred only once a decade now occur 70% more frequently, global scientists report in 2021.
“Combining abundant fuels with heat, drought and strong gusts of wind is a perfect recipe for wildfires,” Marlon said via email.
“But that’s what climate change is doing — it’s extreme supercharged weather. This is yet another example of what human-caused climate change looks like more and more.”
VIDEO: Death toll from wildfires in Hawaii rises to 36
Geography and limited resources hinder firefighting
Hawaii’s geography — an archipelago in the Pacific — and limited firefighting resources also complicate efforts.
Employees at the State Forestry and Wildlife Division are mostly natural resource managers, foresters, biologists and technicians — not full-time forest firefighters, according to the agency’s website.
See also: Firefighters save dehydrated rabbit during fires in Romania
Source: CNN Brasil
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