Q: How was the wildfire in Hawaii caused? Maoi Island Lahai | Automobile | Reporter

"The fire was so rapid, as if in an instant, houses, cars, and everything were ignited," a survivor described to the media the terrifying scene of the wildfire on Maui Island in Hawaii, USA.

On the 15th local time in Hawaii, it was confirmed that the Maui wildfire had caused over a hundred deaths, making it the deadliest wildfire in the United States in over a century. Whether it is the survivors of the disaster, or many American media and netizens who have been questioning in recent days: why is the wildfire so big? Why is the loss so severe? How was the "deadliest" wildfire in the United States in a century made?

Maui Island is the second largest island in the Hawaiian Islands, with a population of over 100000. The town of Lahaina, which has about 13000 residents, is left with only ruins and over 2200 buildings have been burned down. According to the latest data released by Maoyi County, 85% of the wildfires codenamed "La Haina" that destroyed this famous tourist town are currently under control. Hawaii Governor Green stated that the losses have approached $6 billion.

This is a photo taken on August 14th in La Haina, Maui Island, Hawaii, USA, of a building and car wreckage destroyed by a wildfire. Shen Jizhong

From a natural perspective, multiple factors such as strong winds, drought, and flammable vegetation have jointly created conditions for the explosive spread of wildfires.

Meteorological experts point out that global climate change has led to more severe extreme weather disasters, including wildfires. Hurricane Dora, although only passing hundreds of kilometers south of the Hawaiian Islands, intensified the low-pressure system and increased the pressure difference, resulting in strong winds, with winds reaching nearly 130 kilometers per hour in some areas of Maui Island.

The recent drought situation on Maui Island has been intensifying, and relevant agency data shows that about 85% of its area is in a moderate to severe drought state. The media also pointed out that the invasive plants on the island are harmful in terms of "combustion". Previously, there were large areas of pineapple and sugarcane plantations on the island of Hawaii. With the rise of tourism, many plantations gradually became barren, and rapidly growing but flammable invasive grass species have spread, covering about a quarter of Hawaii's land. These wild grasses have become the ideal "fuel" for the spread of the fire.

Green told the media that the wildfire spread at a speed of 1.6 kilometers per minute at that time.

This is the wreckage burned by a wildfire captured on August 14th in La Haina, Maui Island, Hawaii, USA. Shen Jizhong

As search and rescue efforts continue and more details of the disaster are revealed, more and more people are questioning and reflecting on the shortcomings and lessons learned in the process of wildfire prevention and response.

Some people criticized the government's inadequate response, stating that the local government neither sounded alarms to remind people to take precautions, nor cut off electricity in a timely manner to prevent electric wires from being blown down by strong winds from causing or exacerbating fires.

Hawaii claims to have the world's largest outdoor connected public safety warning system, deploying approximately 400 alarms, of which 80 are on Maui Island. However, these alarms did not sound during the wildfire outbreak.

According to reports, wildfires engulfed some areas of Maui Island a few days ago. Meteorological forecasts warned the government that strong winds may cause dangerous fires in multiple areas. However, Hawaiian Electric Company did not adopt the "power outage" as a highly effective fire prevention measure in many states after the severe wildfires of 2017 and 2018. Maui County Magistrate Richard Bison admitted that strong winds knocked down about 30 utility poles, some of which were still electrified when they fell to the ground. A substation under the Hawaiian Electric Company experienced a pole collapse on the 8th, and the incident occurred near the initial fire point.

Media reports also pointed out that while firefighters were working hard to prevent the spread of the fire, they were surprised to find that there was almost no water inside the fire hydrant. The water supply in Lahaina Town relies on surface water from nearby streams and groundwater extracted from wells. The strong winds on the day of the fire prevented firefighting planes from transporting water from the nearby sea to extinguish the fire. As the fire spread, the water pipes of the destroyed houses dissolved and ruptured, causing water leakage and a decrease in the pressure of the water supply network. As a result, the water supply capacity of the fire hydrants became weaker and weaker.

This is the wreckage burned by a wildfire captured on August 14th in La Haina, Maui Island, Hawaii, USA. Shen Jizhong

In addition, the media revealed that although wildfires are not uncommon in Hawaii, officials have consciously underestimated their harm. Last year, Hawaii released a report that highlighted natural disasters that could cause serious harm, including tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Although the report mentioned wildfires, the conclusion was "low" risk. A 2021 report on wildfire prevention in Maoyi County acknowledged that the area of wildfires is soaring, but funding for preventing and reducing the threat of wildfires is insufficient.

The Hawaii state prosecutor's office has announced a review of the disaster response. The media pointed out that investigators will ask many questions about this tragedy in the future.

Final review: Xu Rui

Xinhua News Agency International Department

New Media Center of Xinhua News Agency

Xinhua News Agency Los Angeles Branch

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