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Kumu Micah Kamohoalii drives toward smoke from a wildfire near Waimea on Hawaii island Wednesday, Aug. 4. The area was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire. Fires on many islands in the Pacific burn large areas of land and are causing environmental damage from the mountaintops to the coral reefs.
2/23
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Miki Brand's house is shown on Native Hawaiian homestead land near Waimea on Hawaii island Wednesday, Aug. 4. Brand's property narrowly escaped flames from the state's largest-ever wildfire that scorched the area.
3/23
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Native Hawaiian Mikiala Brand stands on her homestead property near Waimea on Hawaii island Wednesday, Aug. 4. Brand's home narrowly escaped the state's largest-ever wildfire.
4/23
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Kumu Micah Kamohoalii looks out at smoke from a wildfire near Waimea on Hawaii island Wednesday, Aug. 4. The area was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire.
5/23
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A truck destroyed by fire sits on Joshua Kihe's property near Waimea on Hawaii island on Wednesday, Aug. 4. The area was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire.
6/23
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The burnt remains of Joshua Kihe's home is shown near Waimea on Hawaii island on Wednesday, Aug. 4. The home was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
7/23
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Vehicles destroyed by a wildfire sit on Joshua Kihe's property near Waimea on Hawaii island Wednesday, Aug. 4. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
8/23
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Motorcycles and an ATV destroyed by wildfire sit on Joshua Kihe's property near Waimea on Hawaii island Wednesday, Aug. 4. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
9/23
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A coffee mug sits among the burnt remains of Joshua Kihe's home near Waimea on Hawaii island Wednesday, Aug. 4. The home was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
10/23
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A car drives by a burnt roadside sign that says, "Please Prevent Fires, Mahalo," on Thursday, Aug. 5, in Waimea on Hawaii island. The region was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire.
11/23
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A dry creek bed is shown as wildfires burn in Waimea on Hawaii island on Thursday, Aug. 5. The region was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire.
12/23
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A field of dry grass is shown near Waimea on Hawaii island on Friday, Aug. 6. The region was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire.
13/23
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A truck drives into Waikoloa Village as wildfires burn in the distance on Friday, Aug. 6. near Waimea on Hawaii island. The region was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire and the village of about 7,000 people narrowly escaped the blaze.
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A U.S Army firefighter sprays water on a hot spot near Waimea on Hawaii island on Wednesday, Aug. 4. The region was scorched by the state's largest-ever wildfire.
15/23
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Linda Hunt, who works at a stable in Waikoloa Village, carries horse feed out of a corral on Friday, Aug. 6, near Waimea on Hawaii island. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
16/23
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A Big Island firefighter puts out a blaze near Waimea on Hawaii island on Thursday, Aug. 5. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire. Experts say wildfires in the Pacific islands are becoming larger and more common as drought conditions increase along with climate change.
17/23
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A Big Island firefighter puts out a blaze near Waimea on Hawaii island on Thursday, Aug. 5. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
18/23
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A Big Island firefighter puts out a blaze near Waimea on Hawaii island on Thursday, Aug. 5. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
19/23
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A charred goat skull lays amid ashes from a wildfire on Thursday, Aug. 5, near Waimea on Hawaii island. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
20/23
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Wild goats stand amid ashes from a wildfire on Thursday, Aug. 5, near Waimea on Hawaii island. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
21/23
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A fire official drives through a dry field after a wildfire on Thursday, Aug. 5, near Waimea on Hawaii island. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.
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A couple walks on a beach near Waimea on Hawaii island on Friday, Aug. 6. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire. Wildfires in the Pacific Islands are becoming more common as drought conditions increase along with climate change. Fires on many islands in the Pacific burn a proportion of land equal to fires in U.S. Western states and the blazes are causing a cascading effect of environmental damage that impacts island communities that rely on the local ecosystems.
23/23
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A U.S Army fire official walks along a section of burned grassland near Waimea on Hawaii island on Wednesday, Aug. 4. The area was scorched by the state's largest ever wildfire.