Explained: What caused wildfire in Hawaii’s Maui

At least 80 people have lost their lives, and thousands have been stranded after a deadly wildfire enveloped Hawaii's Maui. Due to the wildfire, thousands of people are forced to seek emergency shelters. As per US Drought Monitor, Hawaii witness a typical dry season in August causing drought, and it is being speculated that this could be one of the reasons which has Maui more susceptible to wildfires.

Residents of Maui believe that the wildfire caused in their area is one of the deadliest in the state’s history, erupted this past week. Apart from human loss, a total of 2,200 buildings have also been damaged in this wildfire. The officials have warned that the death toll may also increase as the rescue operations are still going on. 

What  caused the  wildfire?

Hawaii is no stranger to wildfires. A report published by the University of Hawaii researcher Clay Trauernicht in 2014, stated that historically, volcanic eruptions and lightning strikes have started wildfires in Hawaii. However, over the past few decades, the state's annual burning area has grown significantly.

Hawaii witnesses a dry season in August, due to which the island experiences abnormal to severe droughts. The US Drought Monitor informed that since the beginning of August thsi year,  Maui has been gripped under an “abnormally dry” level of drought, making it one of the biggest wildfire-prone areas.  In a scary development, on August 08, 2023, a specific portion of Maui became severe drought, and this could be one of the reasons that the wildfire in the area began.

The wildfire may have escalated due to the strong winds that were associated with Hurricane Dora. The hurricane is the longest-lasting Category 4 hurricane   and was located several hundred miles off the coast of Hawaii.  

Meanwhile, the burned-down town of Lahaina has been blocked by  law enforcement. Also, the authorities had advised us to not use tap water as it may contain toxins which could be harmful to the body.