Hawaii wildfire prompts fears toxic debris will harm delicate balance of marine life

Residents of the Hawaiian island of Maui have voiced concern about potential damage to marine life following the deadliest US wildfire in a century.

The blaze in Lahaina last August scorched more than 2,000 buildings and left behind piles of toxic debris, and there are fears run-off could carry contaminants into the ocean and affect the coral, seaweed and the food chain. Lifelong resident Abraham Ah Hee spends so much time in the ocean that his wife jokes he needs to wet his gills. "Now with all these things happening, you don't know if the fish is good to eat," he cautioned.

Scientists say there has never been another instance of a large urban fire burning next to a coral reef anywhere in the world and they are using the Maui wildfire as a chance to study how chemicals and metals from burned plastics, lead paint and lithium-ion batteries might affect delicate reef ecosystems.

The research, which is already under way in the waters off Maui, could ultimately help inform residents, tourists and coastal tropical communities worldwide as climate change increases the likelihood of extreme weather events of the kind that fuelled the wildfire. A Bill before the state House would provide long-term funding for water quality monitoring in the hope of providing answers for residents whose lives are closely tied to the ocean.

For now, state officials are urging the public to limit their exposure to the ocean and seafood until scientists understand what might be making its way through the food chain.

Russell Sparks, Maui aquatic biologist at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, said: “I know a lot of people keep asking, 'Is the water safe? Can we go out? Is it safe to fish and eat the fish?'

“We just want to reinforce the message that we know it's frustrating, but if people can be patient. We've never encountered anything like this.”

Coral reefs are sometimes called the “rainforests of the sea” because they are so crucial for healthy oceans. They are made up of stony corals, which are hard skeletons formed by thousands of individual living coral polyps that symbiotically host algae.