Department of Land and Natural Resources

DLNR ANNOUNCES CLOSURES AND CANCELLATIONS DUE TO IMPENDING ARRIVAL OF HURRICANE LANE

(Honolulu) – The Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and its divisions are closing various properties in advance of Hurricane Lane.  The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), set for Friday, August 24^th 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-

• Beginning Wednesday night – camping and lodging in state parks across the state will be cancelled. Overnight use of Kāʻena Point State Park, Oʻahu is suspended until further notice.  
• Beginning Thursday night, camping in Kaua’i Parks will be cancelled. 
• Park closures for Oʻahu and Kauaʻi go into effect Thursday morning.

• Due to the possibility of landslides on the Hana Highway, Waianapanapa 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 will be cancelled.
• Park closures statewide go into effect Thursday morning.
• Nuuanu Pali State Wayside Park will be closed today beginning at 3 p.m. until further notice to allow removal of previous landslide debris.
• Ha‘ena State Park and Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park on Kauaʻi  remain closed due to flooding in April.

Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW)-

• All O‘ahu and Kaua‘i DOFAW lands, including forest reserves, natural area reserves, game management areas, wildlife sanctuaries, public hunting areas and Na Ala Hele trails closing at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

• All Hawai‘i island and Maui Nui DOFAW lands, including forest reserves, natural area reserves, game management areas, wildlife sanctuaries, public hunting areas and Na Ala Hele trails closing at noon on Wednesday, August 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 (see: https://hawaiitrails.hawaii.gov/trails/#/trail/inap-trail/21 and https://hawaiitrails.hawaii.gov/trails/#/trail/muliwai-trail/11). Permits have been cancelled and refunded. Permittees have been notified of closure. All current campers should be out before the storm & have been instructed to contact DLNR.

Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR)-

• 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 (OCCL)-

• 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 (DOCARE)-

• All resource conservation officers are on notice to report for duty.
• If necessary, DOCARE will stand-up a DLNR Emergency Operations Center (EOC) 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.”

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MEDIA CONTACT

Dan Dennison

Senior Communications Manager

Hawaii Dept. of Land & Natural Resources

Communications Office

[email protected]

[email protected]

(808) 587-0396 (Communications Office)

(808) 587-0407 (Direct Line)