Wildfires in Hawaiʻi were once limited to those caused by active volcanic eruptions and infrequent dry lightning strikes. People first arrived to the islands between 1,000-4,000 years ago and, as everywhere else in the world, they brought change to the landscape. Nearly all fires in Hawaiʻi are human-caused and they often pose threats to communities and natural and cultural resources.

Having evolved in the absence of frequent fires, Hawaiʻi's native ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to fire disturbance, which is often associated with the spread and establishment of nonnative grass and shrub species. Over the past decade, Hawaiʻi has experienced an average of >1,000 ignitions burning >20,000 acres (8,000 ha) each year across the main inhabited islands.  Fire response agencies are able to contain 90% of wildfire ignitions to less than one acre in size, but large fires (>1000 acres) have occurred on all islands, and happen multiple times each year across the state.