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2023 Hawaii wildfires

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2023 Hawaii wildfires
Date(s)August 2023 – present
LocationHawaii
Statistics
Total fires3+
Total areaUnknown
Impacts
Deaths6[1]
Structures destroyed270+

In early August 2023, a series of wildfires broke out in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Affecting the island of Maui and to a lesser extent Hawaiʼi (also known as the Big Island), the wind-driven fires prompted evacuations, caused widespread damage, and killed six people. As of August 9, a state of emergency has been declared for the entirety of Hawaii.[2] This follows a first emergency proclamation signed on August 8, authorizing several actions including activation of the National Guard, appropriate actions by the director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the Administrator of Emergency Management, and the expenditure of state general revenue funds for relief of conditions created by the fires and Hurricane Dora.[3]

Background

The area burned by wildfires in Hawaii has increased, almost quadrupling in recent decades. The increase is attributed to the spread of non-native vegetation and hotter, drier weather.[4] At the time of the fires, moderate drought conditions covered more than one-third of the island of Maui, with some areas experiencing severe drought conditions. A decrease in rainfall consistent with the predicted impacts of anthropogenic climate change has been recorded in the Hawaiian islands, according to the US National Climate Assessment.[5]

The U.S. Drought Monitor showing drought conditions in Hawaii as of August 1, 2023

In its monthly seasonal outlook, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) forecast "above normal" potential for significant wildland fires for Hawaii in August, concentrated on the islands' leeward sides. In addition to noting plentiful vegetation growth from the previous wet season and the expanding drought, the NIFC mentioned that "tropical cyclones can also bring windy and dry conditions depending on how they approach the island chain and can exacerbate fire growth potential."[6]: 1, 2, 7 

In early August, a high-pressure system remained north of the Hawaiian islands, causing warm and sunny conditions there. The concurrent passage of Category 4 Hurricane Dora several hundred miles south created a large pressure difference between the high-pressure area and the low-pressure cyclone, causing strong gradient winds to develop over the islands.[7] In Maui County, officials reported that gusts up to 80 miles per hour in the Upcountry Maui area, near one the wildfires.[8] A similar phenomenon occured in 2017 in Portugal during the passage of Hurricane Ophelia.[9]

Fires

Maui

On August 8, 2023, wildfires in Maui caused widespread destruction in the town of Lahaina in West Maui.[10][11][12]

A separate fire was reported just past midnight on August 8 near the community of Kula. As of August 9, the fire had burned about 1,000 acres and forced the evacuation of nearby residents.[8]

A third major fire in Kihei also led to an evacuation of nearby residents.[13]

Hawaii Island

In Hawaii County, neighborhoods in the North and South Kohala districts of the Island of Hawaii were evacuated due to rapidly spreading brush fires.[14] On August 9, several other brush fires broke out near the communities of Naalehu and Pahala; those fires were quickly brought under control.[14]

Impacts

Casualties

At least six people were killed in the fire the western shore of Maui, according to Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen during an August 9 press conference. The mayor also noted that authorities were "still in a search and rescue mode" and that the number could change.[15] Governor of Hawaii Josh Green said in an August 9 statement that "some loss of life is expected" as a result of the fires.[16] The death toll in western Maui made it the deadliest wildfire ever recorded in the state of Hawaii.[4]

As of August 9, at least twenty individuals had been hospitalized at a Maui hospital. Six individuals, three of whom with critical burns, had been transported by air ambulance from Maui to hospitals on the island of Oahu.[17]

Damage

One of the wildfires burned much of the community of Lahaina, where more than 270 structures were damaged or destroyed.[12][11] Among the structures destroyed were Waiola Church and Pioneer Inn.[8][18]

The fire also destroyed several cell towers in affected areas, causing service outages and 9-1-1 emergency telephone services to be rendered unavailable.[19]

The wildfire that burned near the community of Kula, Maui destroyed at least two homes.[13]

Evacuations

The Coast Guard confirmed that around a dozen people had jumped into the sea to escape the fire.[11] As of August 9, more than 2,100 people on Maui remained in shelters.[15]

Response

Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, who was serving as acting governor in the absence of Governor Josh Green while he was traveling outside of Hawaii, issued an emergency proclamation and activated the Hawaii National Guard.[11] The Hawaii National Guard, together with the 25th Infantry Division from Schofield Barracks on Oahu, deployed to Maui and Hawaii Island to assist with fire suppression support, search and rescue operations, and traffic control. Two UH-60 Blackhawk and one CH-47 Chinook helicopters were also deployed to support fire suppression efforts.[20]

U.S. President Joe Biden ordered the mobilization of "all available federal assets" to help respond to the wildfires. In a statement, Biden noted that the Third Fleets of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Navy were supporting "response and rescue efforts;" the United States Marines were providing Black Hawk helicopters to help fight fires in Hawaii County; and the United States Department of Transportation was working with commercial airlines to help evacuate tourists from Maui.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Six fatalities confirmed in Hawaii wildfires". BBC News. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  2. ^ Shalvey, Kevin; Arancio, Victoria; El-Bawab, Nadine; Deliso, Meredith (August 9, 2023). "'I was trapped': Maui fire survivors speak out as emergency declared". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "Office of the Governor – News Release – Emergency Proclamation for Maui Air Travel and Hurricane Dora". governor.hawaii.gov. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Fuller, Thomas (August 9, 2023). "Maui Town Is Devastated By Deadliest Wildfire to Strike Hawaii". New York Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  5. ^ Ramirez, Rachel (August 9, 2023). "Why did the Maui fire spread so fast? Drought, nonnative species and climate change among possible reasons". CNN. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook: Outlook Period – August through November 2023" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. August 1, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  7. ^ Iati, Marisa; Dance, Scott; Hassan, Jennifer (August 9, 2023). "Wildfires burning in Hawaii, fanned by intense winds, force evacuations". Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Tanji, Melissa; Thayer, Matthew (August 9, 2023). "Maui on fire". The Maui News. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  9. ^ Ramos, Alexandre M.; Russo, Ana; DaCamara, Carlos C.; Nunes, Silvia; Sousa, Pedro; Soares, P. M. M.; Lima, Miguel M.; Hurduc, Alexandra; Trigo, Ricardo M. (March 17, 2023). "The compound event that triggered the destructive fires of October 2017 in Portugal". iScience. 26 (3): 106141. Bibcode:2023iSci...26j6141R. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.106141. ISSN 2589-0042. PMC 10006635. PMID 36915678.
  10. ^ Yan, Holly; Maxouris, Christina; Jackson, Amanda; Lynch, Jamiel (August 9, 2023). "'It's apocalyptic': People jump into the ocean to flee Maui wildfires as patients overwhelm hospitals and 911 gets cut off". CNN. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d Kelliher, Jennifer Sinco; McAvoy, Audrey; Weber, Christopher (August 9, 2023). "Wildfire on Maui kills at least 6, damages over 270 structures as it sweeps through historic town". AP News. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Staff (August 9, 2023). "Much of historic Lahaina town believed destroyed as huge wildfire sends people fleeing into water". Hawaii News Now. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Hawaii responds as deadly wildfires across 2 islands destroy communities". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Hawaii island battling new fire in Kau, along with 3 blazes in Kohala". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Knutson, Jacob (August 9, 2023). "Hawaii wildfires kill at least 6 people in Maui and force evacuations". Axios. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Sangal, Aditi; Levenson, Eric; Hammond, Elise; Vogt, Adrienne (August 9, 2023). "LIVE UPDATES: Wildfires burning across Maui prompt evacuations". CNN. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  17. ^ "Fires on Hawaii's Maui island kill at least 6 as blazes force people to flee flames". CBS News. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  18. ^ Schaefers, Allison (August 9, 2023). "Century-old Pioneer Inn among property casualties of West Maui wildfires". The Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
  19. ^ Boyette, Holly Yan,Amanda Jackson,Jamiel Lynch,Chris (August 9, 2023). "At least 6 dead as Maui wildfires overwhelm hospitals, sever 911 services and force people to flee into the ocean". CNN. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "Army, Hawaii National Guard deploy to assist in wildfire efforts". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  21. ^ "Biden pledges 'all available federal assets' for response to wildfires". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
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