Wind, drought and a hurricane fueling the Hawaiian wildfires
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Hawaii is known for its volcanic eruptions and fiery lava flows but not wildfires.
This summer is different. All of the Hawaiian islands have been abnormally dry and several of the islands have developed a moderate drought, including Maui, where deadly wildfires have broken out on the northwestern side of Maui near the tourist town of Lahaina. Other fires have developed on the northwestern shore of the Big Island of Hawaii.
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The trigger for these historic and deadly fires has been an extremely dry air mass over the islands combined with strong east winds that are being funneled directly over the islands by an area of high pressure to the north and a strong category 4 hurricane "Dora" to the south.
Red Flag Warnings for wildfire danger were extended through Thursday on all of the Hawaiian Islands. Relief is expected this weekend as hurricane "Dora" moves farther east away from the island allowing the high winds to subside.
On all of the islands the western side is the dry side, more vulnerable to wildfires, while the eastern side is the wet and tropical side.
Easterly trade winds cross the islands year round and are lifted up the volcanic slopes producing frequent rain on east side of each island creating the lush and tropical rain forests. The opposite happens as the air descends on the western side of the volcanic mountains where it becomes warmer and drier leaving the lush green vegetation behind and producing dry grass and shrubs making these western shores more vulnerable to fire.