What ignited Maui's wildfires and why did they spread so fast?

A super strong wind and dry plants made Maui’s wildfires really big and fast, like a campfire that gets out of control in a breeze.

Imagine you're playing with matches on a sunny day. You light one match, snap!, it catches fire. That's what happened in Maui: a small wildfire started, probably from something hot like a car engine or maybe a spark from a power line.

Now picture the wind as your friend who runs really fast and fans the flames. The wind blew hard, pushing the fire forward quickly, like when you blow on a candle to make it flicker more.

Also, the plants were really dry, just like a piece of paper that crumples easily in your hand. Dry grass and trees catch fire faster than wet ones, so the wildfire could spread from one place to another super fast, like a game of tag where everyone runs super quick.

That’s why Maui’s wildfires got so big, so fast, wind and dry plants working together like a team!