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A wildfire is any fire occurring in a wildland area (i.e. grassland,forest, brush land) except for fire under prescription. Wildfiresare part of the natural management of forest ecosystems but may also be causedby human factors.
Nationally, over 80% of forest fires are started by negligent human behavior such as smoking in wooded areas or improperly extinguishing campfires. The second most common cause for wildfire is lightning. In planning area, lightning is not common, but wildfires are more frequent in drier, leeward locations.
There are three classes of wildland fires: surface fire, ground fire, and crown fire. A surface fire is the most common of these three classes and burns along the floor of a forest, moving slowly and killing or damaging trees. A ground fire (muck fire) is usually started by lightning or human carelessness and burns on or below the forest floor. Crown fires spread rapidly by wind and move quickly by jumping along the tops of trees. Wildland fires are usually signaled by dense smoke that fills the area for miles around. In the planning area, brush fires are known to jump from place to place due to patches of vegetation and winds.
Wildfire probability depends on local weather conditions, outdoor activities such as camping, debris burning, and construction, and the degree of public cooperation with fire prevention measures.
Drought conditions and other natural hazards (such as tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.) increase the probability of wildfires by producing fuel in both urban and rural settings. Cyclical climate events, such as El Niño-La Niña, can also have a dramatic effect on the risk of wildfires. In Hawai’i, more fires are typically seen during El Niño years, when conditions are typically warmer and drier. In Hawai’i, non- native, fire-prone grasses and shrubs fuel wildfires.
Many individual homes, subdivisions, resorts, recreational areas, organizational camps, businesses and industries are located within high wildfire hazard areas. Further, the increasing demand for outdoor recreation places more people in wildland areas during holidays, weekends, and vacation periods. Unfortunately, wildland residents and visitors are rarely educated or prepared for wildfire events that can sweep through the brush or timber and destroy property.
Wildfires can result in severe economic losses as well. Businesses that depend on timber, such as paper mills and lumber companies, experience losses that are often passed along to consumers through higher prices, and sometimes jobs are lost. The high cost of responding to and recovering from wildfires can deplete fiscal resources and increase insurance rates. The economic impact of wildfires can also be felt in the tourism industry if roads and tourist attractions are closed due to health and safety concerns.
Vegetated areas and steep slopes, which as conducive to wildfires, characterize much of Maui County. Wildfires are more common in leeward areas of the county rather than windward, as the trade winds bring moisture to windward areas. In order to best portray the potential for fire locations, the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Wildfire Risk Area data was consulted. This data maps at-risk Wildland-Urban Interface Communities on the major Hawaiian Islands. The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) is the area where urban development meets vegetated, wildfire prone undeveloped lands. The University of Wisconsin Spatial Analysis for Conservation and Sustainability (SILVIS) Lab produces Wildland Urban Interface data for the nation. This data was used by Hawai’i DLNR to categorize communities into low, medium, and high risk wildfire areas.
Data on historic wildfires was collected from Pacific Wildfire Exchange. Pacific Wildfire Exchange provides data on historic wildfire perimeters occurring between 1999 and 2019. During this 20-year period, 80 fires occurred within Maui County, including five in the Hāna community planning area, 14 in Kīhei-Mākena, 11 in Makawao-Pukalani-Kula, nine in Molokaʻi, 12 in Wailuku-Kahului, and 28 in West Maui. There were no wildfires recorded on the Island of Lānaʻi. Further, nine fires were recorded on the uninhabited Island of Kahoolawe. Several fires spanned multiple planning areas.
Wildfire extent can be determined by size, such as area burned. The largest fire to burn in Maui County between 1999 and 2019 was the Kaunakakai Fire in 2009 that burned over 8,358 acres on the Island of Molokaʻi. Larger, more damaging fires are possible.
Probability of Future Events:
Wildfire events will continue to be an ongoing occurrence in Maui County. The likelihood of wildfires increases during drought cycles and abnormally dry conditions. Dry, windy conditions with an accumulation of vegetative fuel can create conditions for a fire that spreads quickly. Wildfires could become more frequent in the future as drought conditions become more frequent and more intense with climate change.
Fire data indicated 80 wildfires directly impacted Maui County between 1999 and 2019. This results in approximately four fires every year occurring within the county overall. However, not all of Maui County’s community planning areas have the same likelihood of experiencing wildfires.
It is assumed that all current and future buildings, critical facilities, and populations in Maui County are at risk to wildfire. Maui County is located in a tropical climate with dry leeward areas. Most of the county is highly vegetated. Some areas of the county have steep slopes, which are particularly vulnerable to wildfires, especially leeward slopes which do not receive moisture brought by trade winds.
Burned areas are subject to increased erosion resulting in the siltation of creeks, streams, and rivers. This can result in channel aggradation (wider, slower channels). Steeps slopes are also destabilized due to the burning of vegetation. Burned areas, combined with heavy rain, present a serious risk of landsliding and rockfalls.
