The Big Island's drought has forced people to drive to get water. Barney Sheffield, a resident of Paradise Park, uses a hose to fill a commercial fish cooler along the Keaau-Pahoa Highway while Felix Padamada of Orchidland waits his turn. Droughts increase the potential for wildland fires . Farmers, cattle ranchers, and people using water catchment systems are the most severely affected by drought.
Drought exacerbates the problem of ensuring a sustainable yield of potable water.
Since Hawaii is an island state, this is particularly critical. Failure to take appropriate action could result in Hawaii not having sufficient quantity and quality of water resources to sustain future population and industry. Drought and Wildland Fire Mitigation Plan, Department of Defense, Civil Defense Division, Dec 1998. Hawaii County s Most Severe Droughts Droughts have impacted almost every island in Hawaii with the most severe ones in the past 15 years associated with the El Nino phenomenon. During the El Nino years, droughts have occurred during the winter-spring period.