How lush Hawaii became a tinderbox

Groves of eucalyptus trees that were burnt in wildfires at the beginning of June in Pa’auilo, Hawaii. — ©️2023 The New York Times Company

THE fires in Hawaii would be shocking anywhere – killing scores in one of the deadliest wildfires in the United States in modern history.

But the devastation is especially striking because of where it happened: in a state defined by its lush vegetation, a far cry from the dry landscape normally associated with fire threats.