Fires burn Easter Island heads

Celebrated stone statues charred - 21st November 2022

Wildfires on Easter Island – Rapa Nui – have done irrevocable damage to a massive number of the island's celebrated stone heads.

The blaze swept through over 100 hectares of Rapa Nui national park, with the scorch marks clearly visible from space, from NASA's Landsat 9 satellite.

Some islanders suspect foul play and Pedro Edmunds Paoa, the island's mayor, has stated that "all fires on Rapa Nui are caused by human beings."

Some are pointing the finger at the island's sheep and cattle ranchers, who are accustomed to setting the dry grass alight in an attempt to provide new sprouts for livestock.

Situated 3,700 kilometres from any continent's coast, Easter Island is the world's most isolated inhabited island. Rapa Nui national park was pronounced a UNESCO World Heritage site on account of its architectural uniqueness, formed by a community cocooned from outside cultural forces for more than a millennium. The towering 2-20 metres high statues, or 'moai', were carved from a type of volcanic rock by the original inhabitants in the 13th century. They're purported to be representations of the civilisation's chieftains.

Even though the statues are gradually being worn away by the elements, the damage sustained by the blaze will undoubtedly accelerate the erosion in many of the figures. Ariki Tepano, who heads the indigenous community responsible for the maintenance and smooth-running of the park, says the damage is 'irreparable'. Black soot now covering the faces will wash off with the rain, erasing many of the sculptures' finer details, and the heat cracks may facilitate further chipping in the historic monuments.

The blaze comes just months after the island was finally reopened to tourism in the wake of the pandemic. There's growing concern that future generations may not be fortunate enough to witness the moais' unrivalled cultural significance in person. According to the mayor, "The cracking of an original and emblematic stone cannot be recovered, no matter how many millions of euros or dollars are put into it."

Nevertheless, others remain more optimistic that the statues can be treated to avert further damage.