In the midst of the Kilauea eruption crisis of 2018, an unrelated wildfire ignited Aug. 5 near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, burning nearly 4,000 acres — much of the area within the park itself.
More than 100 people from various organizations worked together to suppress the Keauhou Fire, which scorched protective fences and consumed thousands of acres of koa forest and native shrubland.
Destructive as that was, the Keauhou Fire also provided the opportunity to restore biodiversity, control invasive plants and build fire resilience by boosting populations of fire-tolerant native species.
In today’s warmer, drier world, wildfires are expected (and are proving) to be more frequent. HVNP botanist Sierra McDaniel, on two occasions at Lyman Museum in Hilo, will share these experiences and their consequences and illustrate the value of preparing for wildfire events.
McDaniel will present “Post-Fire Recovery and Restoration at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park” from 3-4:30 p.m. and again from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, at the library located at 276 Haili St.
The presentations are part of the museum’s ongoing Patricia E. Saigo Public Program Series.
Museum members can attend for free; cost for nonmembers is $3. Seating is limited.
For more information, call 935-5021 or visit www.lymanmuseum.org.