Climate-fueled wildfires take toll on tropical Pacific isles

By CALEB JONES and VICTORIA MILKO
Associated Press

WAIMEA, Hawaii (AP) — Huge wildfires highlight the dangers of climate change-related heat and drought for many communities throughout the U.S. West and other hotspots around the world. But relatively small fires on typically wet, tropical islands in the Pacific are also on the rise. These fires create a cycle of ecological damage that affects vital and limited resources for millions of residents. A fire that burned on Hawaii’s Big Island was the largest ever recorded in the the state. But it wasn’t the first time this area has burned, and won’t be the last. Like many islands in the Pacific, Hawaii’s dry seasons are getting more extreme with climate change.