07/13/23 – RECENT WILDFIRES FOLLOWING DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS HAWAI'I

JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR DAWN CHANG CHAIRPERSON For Immediate Release:  July 13, 2023 RECENT WILDFIRES FOLLOWING DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS HAWAI‘I To view video please click on photo or view at this link: https://vimeo.com/840952064 (HONOLULU) – Severe drought conditions are now impacting the southern and western coastal areas of Maui. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor weekly reporting, this is the first time the severe drought designation has been noted in Hawai‘i this summer. DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife State Protection Forester Mike Walker said, “It’s no surprise we’re seeing wildland fires ignite in areas that are seeing worsening drought conditions. Forecasters continue to predict things will get worse before they get better, with an expectation that more severe drought conditions will plague larger areas of the state into late summer, early fall, and even through next winter.” In addition to south and west Maui experiencing severe drought, the West Maui Mountains and Central Maui are experiencing moderate drought conditions, while east Maui is designated as abnormally dry in the latest report released on Tuesday. Elsewhere in Maui Nui, the entire island of Kaho‘olawe is abnormally dry, as is western Lana‘i and west Moloka‘i, with a thin strip of southwestern
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