Oahu Wildfire Moves Away from Population Centers, Continued Drought Worsens Hawaii Fire Conditions

Blaze scorches native trees but poses no threat to homes or property; intensifying El Nino events increase wildfire risk in Hawaii, where ecosystems evolved without frequent fires.

A wildfire has been burning in a remote, mountainous region of Central Oahu since Monday but has moved eastward, away from population centers and housing areas. No property or homes have been threatened and no evacuation orders have been issued.
The fire has impacted the local environment, scorching native koa and Ohia trees. Nearly 2 square miles have been burned so far by the blaze.
Multiple resources have been utilized to combat the fire, including three Army helicopters and helicopters from the Honolulu Fire Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which have been dropping water on the flames from above.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has reported that the state has experienced lengthier droughts over the past 30 years, creating more dangerous conditions for wildfires.
The risk of wildfires has further increased due to more frequent and intense El Niño events, which warm parts of the Pacific Ocean that affect weather patterns worldwide. Hawaii's ecosystems traditionally evolved without frequent fires and native trees that burn are often replaced by fire-prone invasive species.