Experts say extremely flammable, non-native grasses on former plantation lands were fuelling the Hawaii wildfires. Read more at straitstimes.com.
MAUI, Hawaii - When Hawaii’s last sugar cane plantation shut down in Maui in 2016, it marked the end of an era when sugar reigned supreme in the archipelago’s economy. But the last harvest at the approximately 14,570ha plantation underscored another pivotal shift: the relentless spread of extremely flammable, non-native grasses on idled lands where cash crops once flourished.
In 2020, for instance, a hazard mitigation plan prepared for Maui County said that the area of West Maui – where Lahaina, the town devastated by the blaze last week, is located – had the highest annual probability for wildfires of all communities in the county. In Lahaina, much of which was destroyed during last week’s fire, invasive grasses cover the slopes above town, growing right up to the edge of housing areas.
Heavy rain that falls across the Hawaiian islands can cause non-native grasses to grow in some cases as much as 15cm in a day. Then the dry season arrives, and the grasses burn. Moreover, after fires ravage certain areas, the non-native grasses quickly sprout and spread, displacing native plants less adapted to wildfires, making the cycle more destructive.
There are ways that the authorities can limit this destructive cycle, tropical fire specialists emphasise. They include building firebreaks, introducing vegetation that is more resistant to fire and allowing livestock to keep grasses at a manageable level.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hawaii Maui wildfires deadliest in century as death toll hits 93KAHULUI, Hawaii: The death toll from the Maui wildfires in Hawaii reached 93 on Saturday (Aug 12), according to the Maui County website, making it the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, with the tota
Read more »
Warning sirens did not sound on Maui, Hawaii, official confirmsHe stressed the sirens alone would not have been a sign to evacuate, but to seek more information. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
‘We need some help here’: West Maui residents say government aid is scantResidents said they received more help from an ad hoc network of volunteers than from the government. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Maui inferno: What are the deadliest wildfires in US history?The Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin started on Oct 8, 1871 and killed 1,152. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
In search for Hawaii fires cause, lawyers probe power linesLawyers say evidence points to Hawaiian Electric’s equipment being the possible source of ignition. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
'It's gone': Stunned residents find nothing but ashes in Hawaii wildfire townLAHAINA, Hawaii: When Anthony La Puente made it back to the place he had called home for the last 16 years, there was almost nothing left. His house, like most in Lahaina, had been razed
Read more »