Invasive grass species blamed for more than 100 dead in Hawaii wildfires
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Fresh from a catastrophic wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui that killed more than 100 people, eyes turned to an unexpected culprit: the perfect fuel for decades that is now spreading across the world. An invasive grass species that spreads on a large scale in Hawaii.
These invasive grass species, resistant to drought and adapted to difficult terrain, are gradually crowding out native species and are also a growing threat in the western United States, contributing to an increase in devastating wildfires.
“Invasive grasses are very flammable and they change the landscape,” Carla D’Antonio, an ecology professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told AFP.
“They create conditions that are more conducive to more fires, so all of a sudden, we’re experiencing more fires.”
Dantonio, who has been studying the species for more than 30 years, said they did not decompose after death, but “stayed there for a long time, drying out like bones”. They are also hardy, surviving fires better than native native species and gradually displacing native species.
These exotic grasses include buffelgrass, Guinea grass, and molasses grass, most of which come from Africa and were introduced as cattle feed without knowing the dangers they would bring decades later.
When Hawaii was affected by globalization in the 1990s, the original sugar cane plantations were not planted, which had disastrous consequences, as large tracts of land were abandoned to provide opportunities for invasive grass species.
Maui County’s 2021 Fire Prevention Report said the threat of fire has risen due to warmer temperatures and longer droughts due to climate change, as well as the growing threat of invasive grass species.
Despite its reputation for being tropical, Hawaii has become drier than ever. According to a 2016 study, 90% of the region receives less rainfall than in the previous century.
The Maui County report recommends: “Take proactive steps to replace dangerous invasive grass species with native native plants as fuel sources to reduce fuel sources and improve water retention.”
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2023-08-18 13:30:28
