LIHU‘E — Drought conditions have covered Kaua‘i and much of the state, in the midst of the Hawaiian Islands’ typical rainy season.
LIHU‘E — Drought conditions have covered Kaua‘i and much of the state, in the midst of the Hawaiian Islands’ typical rainy season.
The northwestern tips of Kaua‘i and Maui are the hardest-hit, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which reports both areas are in severe drought.
The remainder of the major Hawaiian Islands are in moderate drought, with exceptions on Hawai‘i Island. There, a sliver of land spanning the Big Island’s center is “abnormally dry,” while its east side is free of drought conditions.
“As we enter the more typically dry summer months, and without significant precipitation in the next few months, Hawai‘i could be in store for devastating wildfires this year,” said State Fire Manager Michael Walker, of the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, in a DLNR press release.
“We are seeing this consequence of global climate change, played out on many fronts, including fire seasons that are now year-round,” Walker continued.
U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gauges on Kaua‘i reflect the dry state of the island. Data collected by the gauges, which can be viewed on the USGS WaterWatch website, show many streams ran lower than average last month.
The State Commission of Water Resource Management has described the current drought conditions as historic, and is advising people to take immediate actions to reduce water use, according to DLNR.
