Behind the typical Hawaii postcard image is a major environmental shift that has changed the islands in ways earlier generations did not expect. Over the past century, land-use changes, shifting weather patterns, and the introduction of exotic plants have brought new vegetation to the islands. According to a report from the North American Invasive Species Management Association, roughly a quarter of the total land area across the islands is now dominated by highly flammable non-native grasses and woody shrubs that fundamentally alter local fire regimes.
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