Science Magazine – August 18, 2023: This issue features California tar pits that recorded how fire drove Pleistocene megafauna decline; Maui’s deadly blazes reveal a fire-prone Hawaii; Solar energy projects put food security at risk, and more…

‘Still in shock.’ Amid wildfire tragedy, Maui scientists assess their research losses

Blazes and high winds blew projects apart and left a tight-knit research community shaken. What will it take to prevent future island fires?

In the wake of a series of powerful wildfires that ripped through Maui’s dry forests and the historic city of Lahaina this week killing more than 50 people, researchers on the island remain concerned about the personal fallout for fellow scientists and their families. Some are reeling from disruption to their projects: Studies of whales may be disrupted, for example, and a rare plant facility sustained damage. “We’re still wrapping our heads around what this really means, because right now, most of us are still in shock,” says marine mammal ecologist Marc Lammers. “And, of course, we’re thinking about our colleagues.”