Sacred Tree Burned Down Regrows Leaves After Historic Hawaii Fire

For decades, residents have gathered, celebrated, and proposed beneath a 150-year-old banyan tree in downtown Lahaina, Hawaii. But last month, the worst fire in Hawaiian history tore through West Maui, destroying the tree.

The banyan tree with a large canopy that was burned down has begun to grow leaves again.

Many worried that the indigenous people's sacred banyan tree might not survive. However, green shoots began to sprout around the community's giant trunk; others sprouted from the branches, amid the dry brown leaves, according to the New York Times .

Green shoots began to grow from the charred trunk.

This week, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources shared a video showing the tree's bright green leaves, which it described as a "positive sign of the tree's recovery." The department credited the work of volunteer arborists who donated their time and expertise to nurse the tree back to health.

For many locals, the rebirth of the banyan tree symbolizes "hope for a better future".

The area where the banyan tree burned down in the historic fire

On August 8, wildfires swept through the island of Maui, killing at least 97 people. Much of Lahaina, a community of 13,000 that was once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom, was destroyed.

The Ficus benghalensis, or fig tree, was planted in 1873. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation, a nonprofit conservation organization, describes it as the largest tree in the United States. Standing more than 60 feet (18 meters) tall near the old courthouse, the tree has become a beloved landmark for locals and frequent visitors to Hawaii.

After the fire, the tree trunk was almost charred and the canopy - which had grown more than 2,000 ^{square meters} - was burned, the leaves turned a brittle brown.

Banyan tree after the fire

Hawaii Governor Josh Green once said that the fire in Hawaii was the deadliest wildfire in the US's more than 100-year history.

According to statistics, more than 2,200 buildings were damaged or completely destroyed, of which 86% were residential. The damage caused by the wildfires is estimated at up to 5.5 billion USD...

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