Resulting in the deaths of at least 53 people and the destruction of hundreds of public structures, massive wildfires struck Lahaina, Maui this past Wednesday. Due to the immense impacts the fires have caused, President Biden has officially approved a disaster declaration for Hawaii, sending federal aid to help contain the fires and speed up the county’s recovery. It has also been reported that more than 50 people have jumped into the ocean to escape from the fires, and the Coast Guard is still on the search for survivors. With an inadequate number of shelters, crowded airlines, and continuous power outages, Maui County is facing serious repercussions.

Although the specific cause of the wildfires is still undetermined, many claim that the area’s drought conditions and hurricane-strength winds were the blame. According to Clay Trauernicht, a fire specialist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, he claims that the decline in farming is contributing to the risk of such wildfires. Hawaii’s lands are no longer filled with pineapple or sugar cane plantations; instead, they are now covered with flammable tall grass. Hurricane Dora, the main source of the strong winds, led to gusts of wind over 60 mph. However, as of Thursday, the county government reported that 80 percent of the fires have been contained. Overall, climate change is adding to the likelihood of such extreme weather events, increasing disasters much like these fires.

Climate disasters have been increasing in various countries worldwide. In South Korea, they were faced with one of their greatest monsoon seasons, leading to a massive flood that resulted in 44 deaths and 7,866 people displaced. Similar to the casualties experienced in Maui, over a thousand public facilities, dozens of cultural heritage sites, and hundreds of houses were destroyed in Korea. A great storm also hit Vermont, and as a result, 200 rescues took place, and many roads closed down.

Shown by the events in Maui, South Korea, and Vermont, climate change’s undeniable role in exacerbating such catastrophic events calls for sustained efforts to mitigate its impacts. Through a combination of resilient planning, community engagement, and global cooperation, we can strive to build a safer community to combat these disasters.

<Eunice Kang Arnold O. Beckman High School 11th Grade>