The fires in Hawaii claimed many lives and destroyed livelihoods. Only one house in the neighborhood survived the fire.
Maui – The worst wildfire in US history for at least a hundred years: A fire in the US state of Hawaii left a picture of devastation. About 100 people died and 2000 buildings were destroyed. A house in the hard-hit town of Lahaina reportedly escaped the blaze, while a neighborhood burned to the ground. Experts wonder why.
Home in Hawaii’s Lahaina Beach engulfs in flames: Experts call wind an explanation
Before the crash, 13,000 people lived in Lahaina on the island of Maui. After the fires, the city center was completely destroyed and the quiet little town was unrecognizable. According to officials, the fire was 85 percent contained on Monday. Image by American photographer Stephen Lam Tess San Francisco Chronicle Looks like a symbol of hope: A house on Lahaina Beach that defied a sea of flames against all odds, as reported by the media. It stands out in radiant white and bright green amidst the soot-black and charred neighboring houses. However, the image’s authenticity and exact location were not initially verified.
According to experts, the integrity of the house can be explained by favorable air currents. “In all likelihood, we are talking about a swirling wind that moved the fire around the building,” said Albrecht Bromme, former head of the civil defense organization Technisches Hilfswerk (THW). Build– Newspaper. Because the wind determines the direction and speed of the fire. “In the event of an accident like the one in Hawaii, the favorable conditions for a fire – although not permanent – can ensure that it can easily spread at speeds of 50 or more kilometers per hour,” the expert continued. Information that German Press Agency (dpa) Winds in Hawaii sometimes reached 130 kilometers per hour.
Luck played an important role in keeping the Hawaiian home safe from fire
At the same time, the expert admitted that there is a lot of luck involved. Ironically, in front of a house, the wind turned and the flames moved in a different direction. If you want to replicate this with “human hands” to protect your assets, the expert says, it’s impossible. “Of course the building shouldn’t be made of cardboard. It’s very hot all around, and flammable materials can catch fire immediately. We’re talking about a solid stone house here,” Bromm assesses aloud. Build, the exact design of the building saved by the flames is unknown. Although the house believed to be in Lahaina was unscathed, people could not have escaped the fire, the expert believes: “A fire needs oxygen to burn.”
Climate change: Fires like Hawaii are on the rise
According to experts, the risk of catastrophic forest fires like the one in Hawaii is increasing due to climate change – even in places where they were previously uncommon. “Forest fires can be expected to occur more frequently, even in areas where they haven’t occurred before – especially when summer is dry and hot,” said Mariam Zakaria, a climate researcher at Imperial College London. dpa. Wind also contributes to this.
“.That’s just a guess because we don’t know the exact conditions at the site. But people could have suffocated here if the surrounding flames had used up all the oxygen,” said a former THW boss. Residents of the area were evacuated earlier. Survivors spoke out. The New York Times However, they did reach some fire, before the authorities order evacuation. According to preliminary estimates by experts, the economic damage will range from three to 7.5 billion US dollars. US President Joe Biden has pledged disaster relief to Hawaii residents. Hundreds of people are still missing, and officials say the death toll could double. (bme/dpa)
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