Maunaulu parking lot, Nāpau Trail at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closed because of wildfire

The parking lot at Maunaulu and Nāpau Trail in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park are temporarily closed because of a wildfire as suppression efforts continue.

Park officials said the areas are closed to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

The remote 78-acre Makaopuhi Fire was ignited by the Sept. 15 eruption of Kīlauea volcano. Fire activity has increased because of a lack of rainfall, low humidity and wind.

Twenty-two members of the Pacific Islands Fire Management team, which includes firefighters from Hawaiʻi Island and American Sāmoa, are constructing a fire line to gain control of the fire’s spreading perimeter.

Firefighters are being supported by helicopter water drops.

A staging area, helispot and temporary dip site are located near the Maunaulu parking lot.

The temporary closure at Maunaulu is expected to last through Wednesday, but could be extended if the fire continues to spread.

The blaze, which does not have a continuous flaming front, continues to burn pockets of uluhe fern and other vegetation dried by recent volcanic activity in the park. It poses no threat to homes at this time.

The Makaopuhi Fire is a threat to Hawaiian ecosystems and rare plants in the area.

The remote location and the hazardous volcanic terrain in Kīlauea volcano’s remote middle East Rift Zone increase the difficulty of fire suppression efforts.