Why is Maui burning? Is it climate change or more?

Hawaii is famed for its rainforests and beaches, but not fire for sure. However, the wildfires that have ravaged Maui island in Hawaii, is now the nation’s deadliest event in more than 100 years.

As per the reports, the fires have not only burned down thousands acres of land, but have also killed more than 100 people, which is a greater disaster than any wildfire in California, where summer blazes are common. Also, hundreds have been reported still missing in Maui, and the number of fatalities is expected to rise.
Referring to this, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green stated that this is the largest natural disaster that Hawaii has seen, and that it’s a harrowing sight in Maui right now.

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Hospitals are now crowded with burn patients and, as of Wednesday morning, 911 service was also down in some parts of the island.

Wildfires in Hawaii never found a place in news, as such incidents were rare there, which as per the records, are largely ignited by dry lightning strikes, volcanic eruptions, whereas in the recent decades, certain human activities have also been responsible for causing such incidents. Each year, the average area that gets burned due to wildfires, has roughly increased to 400% in the last century, as per the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, a nonprofit group.

Apart from the above mentioned cause, part of the problem is climate change, which is actually making Hawaii drier, reports suggest. This is the reason why the place is more likely to catch fire when there’s an ignition event (reportedly, most wildfires in Hawaii are sparked by humans, although the source of the current wildfire is still not known).

Reports also add that the spread of highly flammable invasive grasses is also to blame for the current situation. Native to the African savanna, fountain grass and guinea grass, which now cover a huge portion of Hawaii, for example, also provide enough fuel for wildfires.

In short, there are many factors at play today for the current situation, with climate change also one of the reasons behind this devastation. These are also the reasons why these fires have become so intense so quickly.