Maui's Devastating Wildfires
An aerial image taken on Friday shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii. At least 36 people have died after a fast-moving wildfire turned Lahaina to ashes. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
An aerial image taken on Friday shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui, Hawaii. At least 36 people have died after a fast-moving wildfire turned Lahaina to ashes.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty ImagesHawaii may be a tourist attraction to many Americans, but for over a million people, it's their home. And like any state in the US, it is not immune to the effects of climate change.
This week brought a devastating reminder, as wildfires stoked by Hurricane Dora, spread across the island of Maui. Dozens have been killed in the fires and thousands have been evacuated. Much of the historical town of Lahaina lies in ruins.
Hawaii, like many other places on the planet, has experienced less rainfall in recent years, making it more prone to devastating wildfires that seemed unimaginable a generation ago.
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This episode was produced by Marc Rivers, Brianna Scott and Karen Zamora. It was edited by Adam Raney and Tinbete Ermyas. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.