Wild Fire, Wildfire Precautions, Wildfire Lighting Visual Effects

In Hawaii, wildfires occur on all six major islands: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii-otherwise known as the Big Island. In Maui County, which encompasses the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Kaho'olawe, there were 1,291 brush fires between 1972-1999 that burned 64,248 acres and impacted 43 structures.

Unlike the mainland United States, Hawaii's ecosystem - like that of other Pacific islands - is not adaptive to wildfire. Humans are the number one cause of wildfires in the state of Hawaii and the number of wildfires is increasing. For example, in Maui County alone the number of wildfires has jumped from 118 in 2000 to 271 in 2003. Many of these fires consumed more than 5,000 acres, a substantial area on an island. This, combined with the fact that Hawaii is home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, can lead to disastrous situations. Past wildfires in the state of Hawaii have destroyed the last known species of certain native plants. According to local biologists, many other native plants are only a wildfire away from extinction. When native plants are destroyed by wildfire it paves the way for invasive species to establish themselves, negatively impacting the natural ecosystem.

Wildfire affects Hawaii and other Pacific Island environments on several levels, in addition to native plant destruction. Wildfires also cause soil erosion, which then leads to soil runoff into the ocean, killing seaweed and fish that local populations rely on for food and cultural practices. For example, the island of Molokai has experienced three 10,000-acre fires in the past decade on the slopes of mountains that runoff directly to the longest continuous reef in the United States. Since the island experiences high unemployment, many residents rely on shoreline fishing for sustenance. The health of the reef and shoreline areas of Molokai and the other islands are impacted after such wildfires.

Soil erosion and soil damage from wildfire also impact the health of Hawaii's watersheds. Watersheds are natural land divisions, usually reaching from the mountains to the sea where rainfall in the mountain forests flows into streams and rivers down to the ocean. The soils, trees, and plants in these areas act as sponges, soaking up water to replenish natural water reserves, which are the source of all drinking water on the islands. When the watersheds are impacted by wildfire, soil runoff can contaminate these water sources making them unfit for drinking. On an island chain as isolated as Hawaii, maintaining the integrity of drinking resources is imperative.

In order to protect Hawaii's fragile ecosystem and its watersheds, it is important to promote wildfire prevention. There are several simple and easy steps community residents and disaster managers can take to be safe from wildfire and Firewise. See the Wildfire Safety Precautions section, or visit the Firewise Communities website for more information.

Wildfire