The Mililani Mauka fire has damaged fragile habitat inside the Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge, containing some of the last remaining intact native forest on Oahu. It’s another lamentable reminder that climate change is changing global weather patterns, fueling drought in Hawaii and leading to fires in locations where they have almost never been before.

Since Oct. 30, the fire has ravaged 2.5 square miles of forest, where at least 22 endangered or threatened species, including iiwi and elepaio birds, the Hawaiian hoary bat, or opeapea, and tree snails, pupu kani oe, have previously been sheltered by the steep terrain.