Fires and other disasters are increasing in Hawaii, according to this AP data analysis

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Hawaii has been experiencing an alarming surge in disasters, including flash floods, mudslides, earthquakes, lava intrusions, and intense droughts, as per the recent analysis of Associated Press data. However, the most significant escalation has been in wildfires.

According to a comprehensive review by Big Big News of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) records, wildfires are becoming a recurring reality that contradicts the typical perception of Hawaii as a paradise. The state has become one of the riskiest in the nation, exposed to a wide array of climate and geological threats including storms, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

Recent images from Hawaii depict scenes of destruction and chaos – lava from Mauna Loa volcano near Hilo, earthquake damage inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, properties destroyed by fire near Waimea, and flooded streets in Honolulu.

This month, the federal government declared six different fire disasters in Hawaii, the same number that was recorded in the state from 1953 to 2003.

Nationwide, the number of acres consumed by wildfires has roughly tripled since the 1980s, with drier climate due to global warming as one of the contributing factors. In Hawaii, the burned area has increased more than five times during the same period, as per data from the University of Hawaii Manoa.

Long-term residents like Victoria Martocci have witnessed this change firsthand. Wildfires have become more frequent, causing loss and destruction to local businesses and livelihoods.

The analysis of FEMA records shows that Hawaii now averages more than two federally declared disasters a year, a four-fold increase from previous averages. Particularly, the frequency of wildfires has increased significantly, with the state now experiencing one federally declared fire disaster every year on average since 2004.

For Native Hawaiians and locals, the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires have led to calls for increased spending on fire prevention, gear, and personnel. The situation has been exacerbated by factors such as drought, storm-like winds, and changes in land use, which have resulted in easily flammable grasslands.

Risk indexes in Maui County and Hawaii’s Big Island reflect higher levels of risk compared to most U.S. counties. Surprisingly, a 2022 state emergency management report categorized wildfire as a “low” risk, despite it being the number one cause of Hawaii’s federally declared disasters.

In the 20th century, Hawaii averaged around 5,000 acres burned per year, but now, it’s up to 15,000 to 20,000 acres, according to Clay Trauernicht, a fire scientist at the University of Hawaii Manoa. He attributes this alarming increase to changes in land use, particularly a decline in plantation agriculture and ranching, replaced by grasslands that burn quickly and easily.

The explosive fire behavior is also linked to the dryness of grasses and flash droughts, which have been more common due to human-induced climate change. An April study further confirmed this phenomenon.

Weather experts also point to the interplay between wildfires and other weather extremes, like storms. Though it’s challenging to single out the effects of climate change from other factors, there’s a worldwide increase in weather-related disasters, with Hawaii being significantly affected.

Despite being isolated and usually self-sufficient, Hawaii’s increasing vulnerability to disasters has challenged the perception of the state as a serene paradise. Residents like Martocci acknowledge that living in paradise now comes with a reality check.

The increase in disaster occurrences in Hawaii has been reported by Seth Borenstein from Washington and Bobby Caina Calvan from Hartford, Connecticut, with contribution from Big Big News reporter Mike Casey in Boston. You can follow further climate and environment coverage at Big Big News’ website.

Big Big News’ climate and environmental reporting is supported by various private foundations, but the content is solely the responsibility of the Associated Press.

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More about fokus keyword Hawaii disasters

• AP’s climate and environment coverage
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• National Climate Assessment
• National Interagency Fire Center
• University of Hawaii Manoa