The Winds That Doomed Lahaina
1 year, 7 months ago

The Winds That Doomed Lahaina

Wired  

Towering nearly 6,000 feet, the West Maui Mountains are a dramatic, defining feature of the Hawaiian island—verdant peaks surrounded by sparkling blue waters. “When you get 60-mile-an-hour winds, the fact is you're not going to stop any fire, period,” says Jack Minassian, the Fire Science program coordinator at Hawaii Community College. The only thing you do when you have 60-mile-an-hour winds is just get people out of the way.” Many people couldn’t: The death toll stands at 115, with 850 still reported missing. The worst-case fire scenario that’s played out across the continental United States over recent years—the Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, killing 85, and the Tubbs Fire that tore through Santa Rosa, killing 22—is now tropical Hawaii’s problem as well. The same dynamic is also at play in California’s increasingly catastrophic wildfires: An already-dry landscape can be scoured by winds racing down the Sierra Nevada mountains.

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History of this topic

Wet winters to wildfires: How nature turned Los Angeles into a tinderbox
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Wet winters to wildfires: How nature turned Los Angeles into a tinderbox

India Today  

Wildfires raging around Los Angeles advanced into the Hollywood Hills, following a series of devastating blazes in the region that claimed at least five lives, destroyed hundreds of homes, and severely strained firefighting resources and water supplies. The wildfires devastating Los Angeles have been fueled by a perfect storm of environmental conditions, leading to unprecedented destruction and loss of life. …

Firefighters extinguish small Maui wildfire that broke out during wind warning
1 year, 4 months ago

Firefighters extinguish small Maui wildfire that broke out during wind warning

Associated Press  

HONOLULU — Firefighters fully contained and extinguished a small wildfire on Maui that broke out Tuesday during a warning that gusty winds and low humidity posed a risk that fires could spread rapidly in the western parts of each Hawaiian island. Firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire in the south Maui community of Kihei, said Darryl Oliveira, interim …

An old car tire, burnt trees and a utility pole may be key in finding how the Maui wildfire spread
1 year, 6 months ago

An old car tire, burnt trees and a utility pole may be key in finding how the Maui wildfire spread

Associated Press  

Melted remains of an old car tire. Asked about the overgrown gully, Hawaiian Electric said in a statement to AP that the right-of-way allows it to “remove anything that interferes with our lines and could potentially cause an outage” but does not allow it to ”go on to private property to perform landscaping or grass-mowing.” In this photo provided by …

Evacuation order lifted after firefighters douse Maui brush fire near site of deadly Lahaina blaze
1 year, 7 months ago

Evacuation order lifted after firefighters douse Maui brush fire near site of deadly Lahaina blaze

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — An evacuation order following a brush fire that burned 10 acres on Maui was lifted by emergency officials Saturday. The fire prompted Maui authorities to temporarily evacuate residents Saturday from a neighborhood of Lahaina, just a few miles from the site recently ravaged by blazes, before firefighters brought it under control. The Maui County Emergency Management Agency …

US: Bush fire near site of deadly Maui blaze prompts authorities to evacuate citizens
1 year, 7 months ago

US: Bush fire near site of deadly Maui blaze prompts authorities to evacuate citizens

India TV News  

A brush fire burned 10 acres on Saturday and prompted Maui authorities to evacuate residents from a neighbourhood of Lahaina, just a few miles from the site recently ravaged by blazes before firefighters brought it under control. Firefighters doused flames from above using a helicopter and with hoses on the ground, said John Heggie, a spokesperson for Maui County’s Joint …

In deadly Maui fires, many had no warning and no way out. Those who dodged barricades survived
1 year, 7 months ago

In deadly Maui fires, many had no warning and no way out. Those who dodged barricades survived

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “And I could see that people were on fire, …

Global firestorm: A summer of infernos in Canada, Greece, Hawaii and beyond point to the future
1 year, 7 months ago

Global firestorm: A summer of infernos in Canada, Greece, Hawaii and beyond point to the future

LA Times  

Ash-covered cars still line the highway in Lahaina, Hawaii, where hundreds of people tried in vain to escape from a fast-moving and fatal wildfire, like a scene out of a nightmare. “Climate change doesn’t really explain the catastrophic nature of the fire, and for that I think we have to look deeper at a variety of social, economic and political …

Highly flammable grasses in Hawaii fueled spread of deadly Maui wildfires, experts say
1 year, 7 months ago

Highly flammable grasses in Hawaii fueled spread of deadly Maui wildfires, experts say

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “These grasses are highly aggressive, grow very fast …

In the ruins of Lahaina, a surfing legend leads a volunteer army to get supplies to survivors
1 year, 7 months ago

In the ruins of Lahaina, a surfing legend leads a volunteer army to get supplies to survivors

LA Times  

Archie Kalepa has spent his life in the ocean. While public officials come under scrutiny for their failure to prepare for this disaster and a faltering response to what’s become the nation’s deadliest wildfire in the last century, close-knit networks of Indigenous Hawaiians, like Kalepa’s, are mounting efforts to ferry supplies and people with needed expertise past the government roadblocks …

Ignored warnings, hubris, slow response fueled America’s deadliest wildfire in a century
1 year, 7 months ago

Ignored warnings, hubris, slow response fueled America’s deadliest wildfire in a century

LA Times  

A burned-out car lies in the driveway of charred apartment complex in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii. “If you have no scars, you may learn all at once.” Smoke blows across the slope of Haleakala volcano on Maui, Hawaii, as a fire burns in Maui’s upcountry region on Aug. 8. The ignition point of last week’s fire …

‘There are bodies everywhere’: In devastation of Maui fire, California’s past horrors lurk
1 year, 7 months ago

‘There are bodies everywhere’: In devastation of Maui fire, California’s past horrors lurk

LA Times  

Trixy Nuesca-Ganer looks through the ashes of their family’s home in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii. After Northern California officials were criticized in 2017 for issuing few broad warnings of fire weather ahead of what became historic deadly wildfires, state officials took action when fire weather came to the south: issuing unprecedented cellphone warnings to …

Hawaii witnessed one of the worst natural disasters in history as wildfire hits US island of Maui, leaving 67 people dead.
1 year, 7 months ago

Hawaii witnessed one of the worst natural disasters in history as wildfire hits US island of Maui, leaving 67 people dead.

The Hindu  

Published : Aug 12, 2023 16:47 IST - 4 MINS READ One of the worst natural disasters in Hawaii’s history has killed at least 67 people and wiped out the historic town of Lahaina. Very strong trade winds Hurricane Dora, a category four storm that recently passed Hawaii far to the southwest, is thought by some meteorologists to have caused …

Hawaii's deadly wildfire: what we know
1 year, 7 months ago

Hawaii's deadly wildfire: what we know

The Hindu  

The terrifying wildfire that destroyed a historic Hawaiian town seems to have caught many occupants unaware. Over the following hours the fire spread, and near midnight, Maui County was warning all people living in West Maui to stay where they were, unless ordered to evacuate. "The rural land to the east of Lahaina was once intensely managed plantations, with irrigation …

Why the Maui Fire Is So Shocking
55 years, 2 months ago

Why the Maui Fire Is So Shocking

Slate  

As wildfires have devastated the western United States in recent years, casual observers have become familiar with a new term: “wildland urban interface,” or the transition zone between human settlement and unoccupied land. After studying three California cities devastated by wildfires, Santa Rosa, Ventura, and Paradise, researchers concluded that “state and local land use policies, coupled with the state’s housing …

Fast-moving Hawaii fires will take a heavy toll on the state’s environment
1 year, 7 months ago

Fast-moving Hawaii fires will take a heavy toll on the state’s environment

Associated Press  

The fast-moving wildfires that raked Maui this week took a heavy toll on humans and property, killing dozens of people and devastating the historic town of Lahaina. “Coral reefs provide coastal protection, they provide fisheries, they support cultural practices in Hawaii,” Gove said. Andrew Whelton, a professor of civil engineering and environmental and ecological engineering at Purdue University, said the …

Wildfire ravages Maui, Lahaina: Before and after photos show massive devastation
1 year, 7 months ago

Wildfire ravages Maui, Lahaina: Before and after photos show massive devastation

India Today  

At least 53 people have so far died due to the wildfires raging over Hawaii's Maui and officials say the toll is expected to rise. Governor Josh Green said the inferno that reduced much of Lahaina to smoldering ruins was the worst natural disaster in the state's history, turning thousands of people homeless and leveling as many as 1,000 buildings. …

Photos: Maui devastated by deadly wildfire
1 year, 7 months ago

Photos: Maui devastated by deadly wildfire

LA Times  

The death toll is now at 55 from the wildfires on Maui. The Lopes/Vasquez family camp in a parking lot Thursday as they and many other evacuees wait to be allowed back to their home near Lahaina in Maui. Sefo Roshenthal checks the welfare of 94-year-old Saki Iwamura and her daughter-in-law, Claire, who’ve been waiting nearly three hours at a …

Maui wildfire kills 53, people jump into ocean; historic Lahaina burnt down
1 year, 7 months ago

Maui wildfire kills 53, people jump into ocean; historic Lahaina burnt down

India Today  

The death toll from Maui's wildfires rose to 53 on Thursday as the fast-moving conflagration that turned the resort town of Lahaina into smoldering ruins was 80% contained, officials said. The death toll rose by 17 on Thursday to reach 53, Maui County said in a statement that also reported the Lahaina fire was 80% contained, as firefighters secured the …

Maui wildfire kills 67: What made it so bad?
1 year, 7 months ago

Maui wildfire kills 67: What made it so bad?

India Today  

The Hawaiian island of Maui is currently grappling with devastating wildfires, the causes of which are being attributed to a combination of factors including strong winds, dry weather, and the proliferation of non-native grasses. The wildfires were initially ignited on Tuesday and rapidly spread across the island, fueled by fierce winds from Hurricane Dora, which passed hundreds of miles south …

How a perfect storm of climate and weather led to catastrophic Maui fire
1 year, 7 months ago

How a perfect storm of climate and weather led to catastrophic Maui fire

LA Times  

The hall of historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission on Wainee Street in Lahaina are engulfed in flames Tuesday. Areas in “severe drought” include Maui’s leeward side — where the now burned town of Lahaina is — while the windward side is considered “abnormally dry.” “A lack of humidity and a lack of moisture is what …

Maui fires: If Lahaina isn't a climate wake-up call, nothing is
1 year, 7 months ago

Maui fires: If Lahaina isn't a climate wake-up call, nothing is

LA Times  

Homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina along the Pacific Ocean in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii. This week, the deadly combination of flash drought and an offshore hurricane — both increasingly common conditions as global temperatures rise — produced a catastrophic fire that destroyed the historic city of Lahaina. In recent years, wildfires have …

‘Ash and debris': Journalist covering Maui fires surveys destruction of once-vibrant Hawaii town
1 year, 7 months ago

‘Ash and debris': Journalist covering Maui fires surveys destruction of once-vibrant Hawaii town

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — I’ve seen my share of a wildfire’s destruction on a community, but in more than eight years of covering these disasters as a video and photojournalist, the scene over Hawaii was one of the worst. I flew to Hawaii on Wednesday, and by Thursday morning, I was in a helicopter flying over Lahaina, a normally vibrant west …

The Scary Science of Maui’s Wildfires
55 years, 2 months ago

The Scary Science of Maui’s Wildfires

Wired  

In an eerie echo of 2018’s Camp Fire, which sped through the town of Paradise, California, destroying 19,000 buildings and killing 85 people, ferocious wildfires are tearing through Maui, forcing some people to flee into the ocean. In places where fire is a natural part of the landscape, like California, wildfires now burn with ever greater ferocity, oftentimes spawning their …

What caused the wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, that killed 36 people and destroyed Lahaina?
1 year, 7 months ago

What caused the wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, that killed 36 people and destroyed Lahaina?

Hindustan Times  

A series of devastating fires on the picturesque island of Maui has left a community reeling, prompting experts to raise concerns about the role of human activities in the unfolding tragedy. Thousands of residents raced to escape homes on Maui as blazes swept across the island, destroying parts of a centuries-old town in one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in …

Wildfire ravages Lahaina, Maui: before and after photos show the devastation
1 year, 7 months ago

Wildfire ravages Lahaina, Maui: before and after photos show the devastation

Hindustan Times  

The historic town of Lahaina on Maui, Hawaii has been ravaged by wildfires that have killed at least 36 people and injured more than 270. This combination of satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of Lahaina on Maui, Hawaii, on June 25, 2023, left, and an overview of the same area on Wednesday, Aug. 9, following a …

53 people have died from the Maui wildfires, governor says, and historic Lahaina has burned down
1 year, 7 months ago

53 people have died from the Maui wildfires, governor says, and historic Lahaina has burned down

Associated Press  

LAHAINA, Hawaii — A search of the wildfire devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of obliterated neighborhoods and landmarks charred beyond recognition, as the death toll rose to at least 53 and survivors told harrowing tales of narrow escapes with only the clothes on their backs. Already the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a …

These factors are making it hard to combat the deadly Maui wildfires
1 year, 7 months ago

These factors are making it hard to combat the deadly Maui wildfires

CNN  

CNN — The wind-whipped fires in Maui spread swiftly and created a deadly tinderbox, overwhelming residents and local officials in one of the nation’s deadliest wildfires. “For those of us who’ve been working on this problem, it just makes us feel sick,” said Clay Trauernicht, an assistant specialist who studies tropical fire at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This …

Hawaii: Devastating wildfires in Maui and how climate change is making it worse
1 year, 7 months ago

Hawaii: Devastating wildfires in Maui and how climate change is making it worse

India Today  

A dangerous mix of conditions appear to have combined to make the wildfires blazing a path of destruction in Hawaii particularly damaging, including high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation. But Hurricane Dora, which passed south of the islands this week, is exacerbating the low-pressure system and increasing the difference in air pressure to create “unusually strong trade winds,” said …

Hawaii wildfires kill 36 people as strong winds from passing hurricane rages flames
1 year, 7 months ago

Hawaii wildfires kill 36 people as strong winds from passing hurricane rages flames

India TV News  

At least 36 people have died in the Lahaina fire in Hawaii, Maui County wrote in a statement posted to the county website on Wednesday evening. Wildfires, whipped by strong winds from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south, took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once-busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic …

Maui’s fire became deadly fast. Climate change, flash drought, invasive grass and more fueled it
1 year, 7 months ago

Maui’s fire became deadly fast. Climate change, flash drought, invasive grass and more fueled it

Associated Press  

Hawaii went from lush to bone dry and thus more fire-prone in a matter of just a few weeks — a key factor in a dangerous mix of conditions appear to have combined to make the wildfires blazing a path of destruction in Hawaii particularly damaging. “If you have all of those conditions at the same time, it’s often what …

Wildfire on Maui kills at least 6, damages over 270 structures as it sweeps through historic town
1 year, 7 months ago

Wildfire on Maui kills at least 6, damages over 270 structures as it sweeps through historic town

Associated Press  

KAHULUI, Hawaii — A wildfire tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island of Maui in darkness Wednesday, reducing much of a historic town to ash and forcing people to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said in a phone interview early Wednesday fire was widespread in Lahaina, including Front Street, an …

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