▁this ▁fires ▁appears ▁ins ign ific ant ▁in ▁the ▁story ▁map ; ▁however , ▁they ▁do ▁matter . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁statistics ▁ 5 5 0 . 5 2 1 ▁hect ares ▁were ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁fires ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁ 4 5 3 . 4 3 ▁hect ares ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁ 3 8 8 . 2 6 ▁hect ares ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 6 . 3 9 ▁hect ares ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁ ▁. ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 2 - 2 0 0 7 , ▁approximately ▁ 1 1 , 9 0 7 ▁hect ares ▁of ▁forest ▁as ▁dam aged ▁by ▁fire . ▁A ▁major ▁contrib utor ▁to ▁the ▁sp ike ▁in ▁fire ▁damage ▁was ▁H urr icane ▁I ris ▁which ▁passed ▁directly ▁through ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁leaving ▁dead ▁veget ation ▁in ▁its ▁path . ▁This ▁dead ▁veget ation ▁d ried ▁out ▁during ▁the ▁dry ▁season ▁and ▁covered ▁the ▁forest ▁floor . ▁This ▁d ried ▁dead ▁veget ation ▁served ▁as ▁fuel ▁for ▁the ▁fires ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁which ▁occurred ▁next ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁sav anna ▁area , ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁in ▁the ▁hills ▁behind ▁Golden ▁Stream . ▁Other ▁fires ▁areas ▁that ▁bur nt ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁bur nt ▁again ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁but ▁the ▁bur nt ▁area ▁extended ▁beyond ▁the