It’s likely this disaster, the deadliest US fire in a century, will be carefully studied for how countries can try to reduce the impact of severe weather events.
There were weather warnings in the two days before the fires hit. The US National Weather Service said a combination of strong and gusty winds with low humidities “may lead to critical fire conditions... over the coming days”. That was followed by references to “a red flag warning” and “any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly”.
The state’s system of outdoor sirens - there to warn of tsunamis and other natural disasters - was not used for the fires.
Alerts were sent to residents’ mobiles plus radios and TVs, but there were power and cellphone outages as the fires spread. Many survivors said they didn’t receive a sufficient warning to prepare for evacuation.
Franklin Trejos died in the Lahaina, Hawaii wildfires while using his body to shield his golden retriever Sam in the back of his car. Photo / AP
The island of Maui has a known risk of wildfires, according to a 2020 county report. And firefighting efforts involved limited numbers of staff and equipment. Firefighters were hampered by the collapse of the town’s water system. Wind gusts made it difficult to use helicopters.
Climate change may have had only a background influence on the Maui fires but, generally, major weather events such as cyclones, storms, fires, drought and flooding are becoming more frequent and severe with a warming planet.
The speed and intensity of the flames appear similar to Australia’s bushfires in the summer of 2019-20. A subsequent report advised, among other things, that urban planning and building standards could be improved, firefighting capacity boosted, and better early warning systems developed.
Good urban planning, early warning systems, emergency personnel, and preparation are transferrable needs across different types of natural disasters.
Communities facing regular and costly disasters need to see clear improvements that lessen the impacts. They need confidence that the same punch won’t hurt as badly again. Australia and New Zealand are expecting a warm and dry El Nino summer this year.
A fresh report outlines the need for areas in New Zealand’s cities to soak up excess water during intense storms. Nature-based solutions in Auckland are highlighted.
Political parties have been releasing policies on the other side of the coin - reducing emissions - including boosting renewable sources of energy.
This isn’t just about doing our bit for the planet, it’s also about being part of the green economy and, as NZME head of business Fran O’Sullivan noted, if we don’t stay ahead on climate action, people will stop buying New Zealand products.
The latest policy release was the Green Party’s package of loans and grants on Sunday to encourage energy upgrades in homes. Upgrades covered included solar panels, ventilation, replacing gas appliances, heat pumps, insulation, and electric vehicle chargers.
With the climate outlook looking grim, amid fires and floods, making progress on emissions and resilience is the only way to respond.
