The wildfires that ripped through Maui, Hawaii’s second-largest island, have been described as “apocalyptic,” killing at least 55 people in what has been described as an “unprescedented” event. Maui’s Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said most of the fires that are still not contained are fueled by violent winds from Hurricane Dora, churning more than 800 miles away.
“Apocalyptic” and “unprecedented” are terms we hear over and over again, as climate change has intensified our exposure to wildfires in the US. The threat of wildfires more than doubled in the past two decades.
According to new wildfire research:
“Over the past two decades, a staggering 21.8 million Americans found themselves living within 3 miles of a large wildfire. Nearly 600,000 of them were directly exposed to the fire, with their homes inside the wildfire perimeter. That number–people directly exposed to wildfires–more than doubled from 2000 to 2019.”
As the strong winds of Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm spun off the coast of Maui and collided during the island’s hottest, driest season, the risk of extreme wildfires intensified, making this the deadliest wildfire in Hawaii’s history.
While the trend of hotter and drier conditions doesn’t seem to be letting up, here’s how to help the families enduring “apocalyptic” and “unprecedented” climate event in Hawaii.
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