This week’s Kona low storm was anticipated to be the first big rain in Lahaina since the wildfire that destroyed the heart of the historic town and left toxic ash and chemicals at risk of being washed into the ocean.
Pictures of a pink pond on Maui made waves on social media, peaking curiosity, as well as raising questions and concerns over the unusually-colored body of water.
Bolstered by a $200,000 National Science Foundation rapid-response grant, a team of UH researchers is gearing up to sample the coral reefs near Lahaina to assess the impact of toxic ash from the fire.
The goal of the research is to determine if any contaminants from the devastating and deadly Lāhainā Fire will alter the ecosystem and affect its resilience in the future.
A team of researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are sampling West Maui reefs to assess the impact from the toxic ash from the Lahaina wildfire.