EXPLAINED: Why did Maui fire spread so quickly?

The wildfires burning in Hawaii on Tuesday and Wednesday are blazing so high, that these can be compared to the unnerving wildfires there in the West, as per the director of Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University, Erica Fleishman.

According to the director, it won't be a piece of shocking news “if wildfires in many parts of the world that are not accustomed to them become more common over time, or become larger or spread more rapidly.”

This is because the climate crisis caused by humans has contributed to the dry and hot conditions that bring about wildfires blaze and spread in a lot of parts of Earth. As per the director, it is not easy to claim that this climate crisis is associated with a specific event sans a deep analysis, there are chances to conclude the conditions that fostered the environment for such wildfires to arise.

“We can say there are conditions that are consistent with wildfire, wildfire size, and expansion that are changing as climate changes,” stated the director. “And some of the things that we’re seeing with this wildfire in Maui are consistent with some of the trends that are known and projected as climate changes,” she added further.

Scientists are trying hard to understand the climate crisis is going to impact Hawaii. Scientists have understood that drought is going to get worse as global temperatures are going to increase. 

They believe that with an increase in the heat, the vegetation and the dried-out land can offer fuel for wildfires, which therefore can easily transform to be deadly in case strong winds come over the flames.

Maui has an average drought covering around one-third of the island. Some areas have experienced severe drought, as per the US Drought Monitor. The areas in drought align with some of the areas of the fire.

Drought conditions are not only getting extreme but also common in Hawaii, along with many other Pacific islands, as per the US National Climate Assessment passed in the year 2018. Scientists said that the rainfall has decreased in Hawaii in some time, which has increased the consecutive dry days in Hawaii.

Thus, the director stated that the availability of water has decreased for both people and plants needing more water