DLNR Announces Closures, Cancellations Ahead of Hurricane Lane

DLNR park closures ahead of Hurricane Lane. File 2015 photo of Polipoli courtesy DLNR.

The Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources and its divisions are closing various properties in advance of Hurricane Lane. The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, set for Friday, Aug. 24 has been postponed.

Additional closures may be announced depending on the storms track over specific islands and this release will be updated accordingly over the next few days.

Division of State Parks:

• Due to the possibility of landslides on the Hāna Highway, Waiʻānapanapa State Park on Maui will close effective 10 a.m. on 8/22/18 once all campers and cabin users have checked out.
• Beginning Wednesday night camping and lodging in state parks across the state (except Kaua‘i) will be cancelled.
• Park closures statewide go into effect Thursday morning (except for Kaua‘i).
• Nuʻuanu Pali State Wayside Park will be closed today beginning at 3 p.m. until further notice to allow removal of previous landslide debris.
• Closures for Kaua’i will be announced depending on storm track. Hā‘ena State Park and Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park remain closed due to flooding in April.

Division of Forestry and Wildlife:

• All Hawai‘i island and Maui Nui DOFAW lands, including forest reserves, natural area reserves, game management areas, wildlife sanctuaries, public hunting areas and Nā Ala Hele trails closing at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018.
• Closures may be implemented on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i pending further information on storm track.
• Closure notices have been posted on the Nā Ala Hele website for the Muliwai and ‘Āinapō trails on Hawai‘i island. Permits have been cancelled and refunded. Permit holders have been notified of closure. All current campers should be out before the storm and have been instructed to contact DLNR.

Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation :

• No plans to close State small boat harbors and ramps but boaters are advised to secure their crafts.

Engineering Division:

• 25 leeward and windward O‘ahu streams under DLNR jurisdiction were inspected today by the land maintenance crew.

Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands:

• There is the likelihood of dangerous storm surges and erosion along east, south and west facing shores.
• People should avoid shorelines, beaches and tide pools during the storm.

Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement:

• All resource conservation officers are on notice to report for duty.
• If necessary, DOCARE will stand-up a DLNR Emergency Operations Center in Honolulu to coordinate departmental response to any emergencies and recovery.

DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said, “Our primary concern is public health and safety. While we realize closures and cancellations may be an inconvenience this is a powerful storm that could have dramatic and damaging impacts across the state. We want to be prepared to safeguard people’s safety using state resources as well as to protect those resources as much as possible in advance of Hurricane Lane.”