Record Wildfire Burns Amid Drought on Hawaii’s Big Island
Disaster Alert
August 3, 2021
Source: ABC News
Additional Resource:
Hawaii News Now (‘We’re Going to Help Them’: Neighbors Focus on Rebuilding After Big Island Wildfire)
Approximate impacted areas:
Hawaii
– Honokaa (Hawaii County, 96727)
– Waikoloa Village (Hawaii County, 96738, 96743)
– Waimea (Hawaii County, 96743)
NOTE: This has NOT yet been declared a FEMA Major Disaster.
Firefighters have gained more control over a Hawaii wildfire that forced thousands of people to evacuate over the weekend and destroyed at least two homes on the Big Island
HONOLULU — Firefighters gained more control over a wildfire in Hawaii that forced thousands of people to evacuate over the weekend and destroyed at least two homes on the Big Island, but officials warned that strong winds will return on Tuesday, raising the danger again.
Authorities have lifted evacuation orders but warned they could be reinstated at any time and that people should be ready to go.
“It’s the biggest (fire) we’ve ever had on this island,” Big Island Mayor Mitch Roth said of the more than 62-square-mile (160-square-kilometer) blaze. “With the drought conditions that we’ve had, it is of concern. You see something like this where you’re putting thousands of homes in danger, it’s very concerning.”
Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of those burning in the U.S. West. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires.
Even though Hawaii has a wet, tropical climate that isn’t typically at risk from large fires, blazes could become more frequent as climate change-related weather patterns intensify.
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