Climate Change Is A Big Problem For Farmers In Hawaii … More fires. Worse drought. Excessive heat. The state’s agriculture industry is facing serious environmental problems in the years ahead.
Michelle Galimba has always been aware of the risk of wildfires to her cattle.
A second-generation rancher on Hawaii island, Galimba learned long ago that when the grass that feeds her family’s herd turns brown and brittle, the flick of a cigarette, a strike of lightning or an impromptu campfire can spark disaster.
For Kuahiwi Ranch, fire danger was usually a seasonal concern. Something to watch out for in the hot and dry summertime. In the last 10 years, that’s changed, she said.
“We’ve lost a lot of the seasonal patterns, so a drought can happen at any time,” said Galimba, who watched a fire in 2017 scorch 800 acres of land leased by her family. “It used to be a little more predictable. You knew when to be on the alert.”
