WILDFIRES – HAZARDS CASE
STUDIES
, Hawaii Wildfires 2023
(Maui and Lahaina)
Conditions: very dry doughty
conditions for wildfire and the
hurricane ‘Dora’ previously the
storms resulting in low pressure
and high pressure in the north
created strong winds that would
help fuel and transport the fire
- Very dry
- Islands under hurricane
warnings
- High and low pressure
for fuel and transport
August 6-12th
Several fires hit Maui hard leaving over 2,200 building damaged in Lahaina alone
in the upper country fire is raging – a smaller bush fire fuelled by strong winds
from hurricane prompts evacuations
Responses: California’s office of emergency announced it would send search
and rescue to help with aid and recovery is the hardest hit areas
- Military helicopters douse Maui with roughly 150,000 gallon of water to
fight the fires
- More than 14,000 people moved off Maui and with later additional 14,500
- Us coastguard reported saving 17 people from the water and assisted 40
survives onshore after escaping the fires
Economic impacts:
The Lahaina fire left the historic Maui village as if a ‘bomb had gone off’
Iconic buildings had been flattened or scorched by the roaring flames this meant
that the locals and the government will have to spend vast sums of money
estimated to be billions on the rebuilding’s and repairs
Impacted tourism and losing approximately 2.7 million a day from the 800
business
Social impacts:
Destruction of 2,000 homes has exacerbated the ongoing housing crisis in Maui
Leaving over 7,000 people unemployed
Fires left hundred dead and over 1,000 people unaccounted for
High levels of anxiety around future financial and social security
Environmental impacts:
Damaged or destroyed 2,200 buildings creating a toxic environment likely to
affect the water quality – chemical benzene turned up in the public water system
in Lahaina
Scientists worried that contaminated run-off will flow onto the islands sensitive
coral reefs and roughly 2,000 acres of land was burnt in Hawaii with the
devastating the agricultural and biodiversity – the islands already suffer from
non-native plants and animals that have wrecked havoc on species that evolved
to live on islands with little competition
STUDIES
, Hawaii Wildfires 2023
(Maui and Lahaina)
Conditions: very dry doughty
conditions for wildfire and the
hurricane ‘Dora’ previously the
storms resulting in low pressure
and high pressure in the north
created strong winds that would
help fuel and transport the fire
- Very dry
- Islands under hurricane
warnings
- High and low pressure
for fuel and transport
August 6-12th
Several fires hit Maui hard leaving over 2,200 building damaged in Lahaina alone
in the upper country fire is raging – a smaller bush fire fuelled by strong winds
from hurricane prompts evacuations
Responses: California’s office of emergency announced it would send search
and rescue to help with aid and recovery is the hardest hit areas
- Military helicopters douse Maui with roughly 150,000 gallon of water to
fight the fires
- More than 14,000 people moved off Maui and with later additional 14,500
- Us coastguard reported saving 17 people from the water and assisted 40
survives onshore after escaping the fires
Economic impacts:
The Lahaina fire left the historic Maui village as if a ‘bomb had gone off’
Iconic buildings had been flattened or scorched by the roaring flames this meant
that the locals and the government will have to spend vast sums of money
estimated to be billions on the rebuilding’s and repairs
Impacted tourism and losing approximately 2.7 million a day from the 800
business
Social impacts:
Destruction of 2,000 homes has exacerbated the ongoing housing crisis in Maui
Leaving over 7,000 people unemployed
Fires left hundred dead and over 1,000 people unaccounted for
High levels of anxiety around future financial and social security
Environmental impacts:
Damaged or destroyed 2,200 buildings creating a toxic environment likely to
affect the water quality – chemical benzene turned up in the public water system
in Lahaina
Scientists worried that contaminated run-off will flow onto the islands sensitive
coral reefs and roughly 2,000 acres of land was burnt in Hawaii with the
devastating the agricultural and biodiversity – the islands already suffer from
non-native plants and animals that have wrecked havoc on species that evolved
to live on islands with little competition
