How Lahaina’s more than 150-year-old banyan tree is coming back to life after devastating fire

Associated Press

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The deadly wildfire that tore through Lahaina last August scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic town’s Front Street. The chair of the Maui County Arborist Committee says about half of the tree’s branches have died. But thanks to the efforts of arborists and volunteers, parts of the sprawling, 60-foot tree are healthy and growing back. Those efforts have included installing sensors on the tree to monitor the flow of sap, and developing plans to install compost tubes and an irrigation system. According to Sparkman, some branches now have hundreds of leaves, and are even producing fruit.