On October 5, 2022, a fire swept over the island of Rapa Nui, otherwise known as Easter Island. It spread across 250 acres of a region on the island called Rano Raraku–the site of the 300 iconic Moai heads that litter the isolated island. Many of the Moai heads were caught in the flames.

Not only is it a national tragedy for the nation of Chile, but it is also a devastation for the world. The Moai heads are crucial archaeological finds that help to document the often vague history of Polynesia. What makes the heads even more unique is the fact that Easter Island is considered one of the most remote inhabited places in the world. That isolated status, as well as the presence of the unique multitude of heads, only amplifies the necessity to maintain the statues.

The fire caused irreparable damage to the Moai heads and rapid development in their already growing deterioration. It was only natural that the heads would be weathered by rain and wind, especially with how old they are. But, the fire only makes their condition worse. The mayor of Easter Island, Pedro Edmunds Paoa, sympathizes, saying, “The cracking of an original and emblematic stone cannot be recovered, no matter how many millions of euros or dollars are put into it.”

What makes the situation even more unfortunate is the mystery shrouding the origin of the fire. Mayor Paoa suggests some kind of foul play, explaining that the fire was in fact “not an accident– all fires on Rapa Nui are caused by human beings.” The presence of an arsonist insinuates that further fires may occur. Paoa continues, criticizing Chile’s budgeting because “there is no money to prevent fires on Easter Island in the more than 32,000 archaeological sites. To prevent fire, we need to have guards permanently at the sites.”

The future of the island is now in question. With such dependence on tourism, these fires could be detrimental for both their economy and the preservation of their culture. The pandemic and ensuing travel restrictions forced Easter Island to close down for two full years. Finally having opened three months ago, they once more have to close to assess the damage.

Information received from Natalie Neysa Alund of USA Today, Molly Enking of Smithsonian Magazine, and Joe Hernandez of NPR.