Hawaii is once again at risk of wildfires; forecasters are issuing a wind and dryness warning

Just three weeks after powerful winds blasted destructive fires over west Maui, forecasters said Thursday’s low humidity and wind gusts heightened the risk of fire on some of the Hawaiian islands.

The threat of fire on several of the Hawaiian islands increased on Thursday, according to forecasts, just three weeks after strong winds blasted deadly fires over west Maui. (Photo: Mankato Free Press)

Winds won’t be nearly as powerful as they were on Maui

In a report from USA Today, all of the leeward portions of the islands received red flag warnings from the National Weather Service, which indicates a risk of wildfires spreading. However, according to predictions, winds won’t be nearly as powerful as they were on Maui on August 8, when the deadliest wildfires in the United States in more than a century claimed at least 115 lives.

According to the weather service, there is a high chance of wildfires due to the combination of dry fuels, strong winds with gusts, and low humidity levels.

Any fires that start could be fueled by dry vegetation and winds.

According to AccuWeather analyst Haley Taylor, Thursday’s weather means any fire that starts or already has started might spread quickly. However, this does not necessarily guarantee that new flames will start.

High winds are being caused by a differential in pressure coming from opposite sides of the islands, according to Taylor. Thursday midday to late afternoon was predicted to have low humidity and winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 to 50 mph.

According to the weather service, Maui and the Big Island were forecast to see the highest gusts downwind or leeward of the higher terrain.

According to the organization, people should refrain from burning outside during this period since any fires that do start will probably grow quickly and be exceedingly challenging to put out.

READ ALSO: Wildfires In Washington State Left 1 Dead, Thousands Under Evacuation, Hundreds Of Buildings Burned

Authorities on Maui are almost done looking for victims of the wildfires

According to Taylor, the weather was comparable to the one that caused a fire to engulf Lahaina earlier this month, but the difference in wind speeds is significant.

It won’t be exactly the same as what occurred earlier in August. According to Taylor, it will be comparable but not as extreme.

What started the raging forest fires that destroyed Lahaina?

Although the actual cause of the fires is unknown, experts have suggested that a combination of extremely dry vegetation, strong winds from Hurricane Dora, low humidity, and drought created the ideal circumstances for fire to spread rapidly.

According to the weather service, winds that day were over 60 mph.

As rainfall in Hawaii has drastically decreased over the past 30 years, wildfires there have increased by fourfold in recent decades.

The Hawaiian Electric Company has been sued by the County of Maui, which claims that the disaster was exacerbated by the company’s inability to turn off the electricity despite weather service warnings.

READ ALSO: Wildfires In Hawaii Left 80 Dead Marking Deadliest Natural Disaster In State’s History As Death Toll Still Rises