The raging wildfires have endangered important historical structures and artefacts of Hawaiian significance, including a splendid banyan tree embodying the island's rich cultural heritage.
The devastating wildfires that recently swept across Maui island in Hawaii have tragically claimed the lives of over thirty individuals, leaving behind smoldering wreckage and forcing thousands to evacuate from the former capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. These wildfires have also placed significant historical structures and artefacts at risk, including a majestic banyan tree that holds immense cultural importance for the island.
As reported by The Guardian, for generations, the 150-year-old tree, located on Lahaina Town's historic Front Street, has served as a communal focal point, providing shelter beneath its lush branches from the intense Hawaiian sun. This expansive tree has been the heart of the seaside community, soaring over 60 feet (18 meters) in height and anchored by multiple trunks that span an area of nearly an acre.
Famous Tree in Lahaina smoldering at the base, but still standing.
pic.twitter.com/uLRKbp1fUp
At least 36 people have been killed since fires began in Maui.
More footage from the maui fires of the Maui Banyan Tree in pic.twitter.com/C9T4dbThdL
Imported from India and planted near the Lahaina Courthouse and Lahaina Harbour, the tree stands as one of the largest of its kind in the United States, according to CNN.
According to The New York Times, originally standing at a mere eight feet tall when it was planted in 1873 to commemorate a Protestant mission to Lahaina half a century prior, the tree's growth to over 60 feet has been nurtured over the years by the town's residents. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation, responsible for managing numerous historical sites in the town, attests to this careful cultivation.
For those who didn't get the chance to experience the banyan tree in Lahaina, here's a quick walk I took through it back in 2021. Insane to see what that area is going through now. pic.twitter.com/BNf5AfM8gb
— Daniel Leeder (@fabledfoe)In Lahaina, the tree's growth has been aided by the practice of suspending jars of water to guide the most promising aerial roots towards the ground.
Simultaneously, as per the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, approximately 271 structures have been damaged or razed, based on official reports from aerial assessments conducted by the US Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department.
While the exact cause of the Maui wildfires remains undetermined, officials have pointed to dry vegetation, robust winds, and low humidity as factors that fueled the rapid and expansive blaze, as noted by the National Weather Service.
Hawaii experiences wildfires on an annual basis, as highlighted by Thomas Smith, an environmental geography professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. However, this year's fires have exhibited unprecedented speed and scale, surpassing the norm.