The stately banyan tree on Maui, known for being the biggest of its kind in the United States, has been damaged as a result of the continuous wildfire raging through Hawaii. The terrible wildfire forced thousands of people to flee the former Hawaiian Kingdom capital and left behind devastation and countless fatalities.
The ancient banyan tree, a representation of the island’s rich cultural legacy, is one among the buildings and treasures that the flames are threatening.
The 150-year-old tree, which is located on Lahaina Town’s famed Front Street, has long been used as a meeting spot, providing relief from the harsh Hawaiian sun beneath its expansive canopy.
This enormous tree, which has many trunks spanning about an acre and is over 60 feet (18 meters) tall, has served as the community’s focal point.
The tree is one of the biggest banyan trees in the United States and was imported from India before being placed close to the Lahaina Courthouse and Lahaina Harbour.
The tree was just eight feet tall when it was planted in 1873 to honor a Protestant mission to Lahaina. But it took years of committed care from locals for it to develop into the extraordinary specimen it is today, growing to a height of more than 60 feet.
Lahaina residents assisted in the growth of the tree by strategically hanging water jars to direct the most promising aerial roots downward.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser stated that 271 structures had been damaged or destroyed as a result of the wildfires based on official flyovers made by the US Civil Air Patrol and the Maui Fire Department.
Although the actual cause of the Maui wildfires is still unknown, scientists believe that low humidity, strong winds, and dry vegetation contributed to the fires’ quick spread. Hawaii sees wildfires every year, but this year’s blazes have been unusually intense and large compared to prior averages.