Maui Fire What happened and how did Fire start?

Publish date: 2024-05-06

Maui Fire What happened and how did Fire start? – Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to deadly wildfires raging in Hawaii, which are being fed by a combination of atmospheric and ground conditions that can produce “fire weather.” Much of the Maui’s historic town of Lahaina was destroyed by a large fire.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, workers saved 17 persons who had jumped into the Lahaina port to try and flee the flames. Business owner Alan Dickar recounted witnessing structures “engulfed” in flames on both sides of Front Street, a well-known tourist destination. Dickar told CBS Honolulu affiliate KGMB-TV that “there were no fire trucks at that point; I think the fire department was overworked.”

What caused Maui Fire?

When the flames started, a large portion of Hawaii was under a red flag fire risk warning, but its exact origin is still a mystery.

According to Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, commander general of the Hawaii Army National Guard, “we don’t know what actually started the fires, but we were made aware in advance by the National Weather Service that we were in a red flag situation — so that’s dry conditions for a long time, so the fuel, the trees, and everything, was dry.” That “set the conditions for the wildfires,” he said, along with low humidity and strong winds.

“The winds were about to become unmanageable. J.D. Hessemer, a citizen of Maui and owner of a company in Lahaina, subsequently told “CBS Mornings” that power lines were down everywhere. We simply felt it was unsafe to linger for the day.

The National Weather Service reported that Hurricane Dora, a storm that was sweeping across the Pacific Ocean hundreds of miles south of the Hawaiian islands, was responsible for the strong winds that were fanning the fires.

The cyclone, which the Central Pacific cyclone Center downgraded to a Category 4 on Wednesday morning, was a factor in the 60 mph+ wind gusts that tore through Maui, downing power lines and causing property damage.

As the wind gusts increased on Tuesday evening, National Guard helicopters that had been activated as part of the state’s emergency response to the wildfires were forced to land. On Wednesday, Sylvia Luke, the acting governor of Hawaii, issued an emergency proclamation extending the state of emergency and allowing the deployment of National Guard personnel.

Wildfires typically begin in what way?

The National Park Service estimates that people are to blame for over 85% of wildfires in the US. This form of fire can happen accidently as a result of leaving campfires unattended, burning trash, employing different types of equipment, and inappropriately discarding cigarettes. According to the organization, deliberate acts of arson are another cause of wildfires started by people.

Wildfires can occur naturally due to volcanic eruptions and lightning strikes, while authorities point out that lightning strikes are a considerably more frequent trigger. Strong winds, low relative humidity, unstable atmospheric conditions, and thunderstorms all contribute to what meteorologists refer to as “fire weather,” according to Nick Nauslar, a meteorologist and former weather forecaster at the Storm Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in a 2018 FAQ that was released by the organization.

According to NOAA, wildfires can spread quickly in hot, dry, and windy conditions — especially when those conditions occur simultaneously. Fires are typically started by lightning striking a tree, but strong winds can also cause power lines to catch fire and start wildfires when there is dry brush or grass nearby. This year’s wildfire season has been particularly bad in Canada and across North America as warm, dry weather continue to prevail as different parts of the continent face record heat and drought due to climate change.

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