Economist Podcasts

Through the fire: an update from Hawaii

4 snips
Aug 16, 2023
Oliver Morton, The Economist's Briefings Editor, provides gripping insights into the devastating wildfires in Maui, discussing the environmental factors and failures in emergency response that contributed to the disaster. Mie Dahl highlights the coca crisis in Colombia, detailing the economic turmoil facing farmers since the 2016 peace deal while criminal groups thrive in the changing market dynamics. The conversation also touches on the urgent need for better preparedness against such catastrophic events in the future.
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INSIGHT

Unprecedented Fire Intensity

  • The West Maui fires' intensity is unprecedented in recent history.
  • Although Hawaiian islands experience fires, the scale of this disaster is new.
INSIGHT

Fire Fuel and Flash Drought

  • Abandoned farmland provided fuel, worsened by a flash drought.
  • The drought intensified due to lack of rain and water loss from plants and soil.
INSIGHT

Downslope Winds

  • Intense downslope winds, the 'fern effect', exacerbated the fire.
  • Dry winds intensified as they descended mountains, similar to the Camp Fire in California.
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