UPDATE: Park/School/Business Closures/Reopenings
Click here for the latest updates - Click here for Friday, Sept. 2, 5 p.m. video update with Malika Dudley
- Saturday, Sept. 3, 7:30 a.m.: Holiday Weekend Forecast for Big Island
- Click here for emergency shelter information
- Click here for power, road and flooding status reports
- Click here for hurricane safety tips
- Click here for airline information
- Click here for Hurricane Madeline photos from across Hawai‘i County
UPDATE for Friday, Sept. 2
Due to the uncertainty over the track of approaching Hurricane Lester, all Hawai‘i island, Maui, and O‘ahu state park camping and lodging areas will be closed to overnight use beginning Friday, Sept. 2 and will remain closed—at minimum through Monday, Sept. 5—until conditions warrant allowing these activities.
At this time, all state parks are open for day use.
Full refunds will be processed for all current permit holders.
On Hawaii island, Division of Forestry and Wildlife forest reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, natural area reserves, Na Ala Hele hiking trails, forest campgrounds and game management areas, will remain closed until further notice.
Camping permits for this weekend are cancelled until further notice.
For public safety, DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife is canceling the following scheduled weekend hunts for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3 and 4, 2016:
Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a scheduled weekend hunt: There will be a makeup hunt scheduled for Sept. 24 and 25, 2016, for those hunters impacted by this cancellation. For further information, contact the Kamuela DOFAW office at (808) 887-6063.
Additional closures may follow over the weekend, and updates will be provided to news media and on the department’s website.
UPDATE for Thursday, Sept. 1
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is open Thursday, with partial closures in place as Hurricane Lester nears, and Hurricane Madeline, now downgraded as a tropical storm, passes south of Hawai‘i Island.
Open areas include Crater Rim Drive and Crater Rim Trail, Kīlauea Visitor Center, Jaggar Museum and observation deck, Steam Vents, Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube), Kīlauea Iki, Devastation Trail, Sulphur Banks and most front-country trails.
These closures remain in place: all camping and campgrounds, Chain of Craters Road, including the coastal lava viewing area, all backcountry areas, Hilina Pali Road, and Mauna Loa Road after Kīpukapuaulu to the overlook.
The Kahuku Unit, open only on Saturdays and Sundays, will remain closed on Saturday. Rangers will determine if Kahuku can reopen for Sunday.Updates are posted to the park’s website www.nps.gov/havo, its general information phone number, (808) 985-6000, and its official social media sites.
NPS Photo/Jay Robinson: Hurricane Madeline caused an ‘ōhi‘a tree to fall near Kīlauea Visitor Center on Wednesday. Several other trees were reported down on closed park roadways.
The US Coast Guard opened the Hawai‘i County ports Thursday morning and cargo operations have resumed. Vessel and facility operators are recommended to exercise caution when maneuvering in the ports as there may be fields of debris present.
The reopening of the Hawai‘i County ports is to ensure the flow of goods and services prior to the arrival of Hurricane Lester.
The Coast Guard will continue to broadcast Notice to Mariners and post Marine Safety Information Bulletins on http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/
Coast Guard urges boaters to exercise extreme caution with the arrival of Hurricane Lester over the weekend.
A PDF version of the Hawai’i Boater’s Hurricane and Tsunami Safety Manual can be found at the following link: http://seagrant.noaa.
For more information on hurricane preparedness, visit the National Hurricane Center’s Web page at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.
Hawai‘i Electric Light’s business offices, including the Customer Service and Customer Engineering offices, will remain closed on Thursday Sept. 1. Customers may still reach the company to report power outages and downed power lines by calling its trouble desk at 969-6666. All offices will be open for business on Friday, Sept. 2, 2016.
All First Hawaiian Bank branch locations on the Big Island will open today for business as usualThursday, Sept.1, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Big Island First Hawaiian Bank Branches
• Hilo – Hilo Shopping Center, 1205 Kilauea Avenue
• Honokaa – Mamane Street at Kika Street
• Kamuela – Kamuela Shopping Center, 67-1189 Mamalohoa Highway
• Kealakekua – 81-6626 Mamalahoa Highway
• Kona – 74-5593 Palani Road
• Pahoa – Government Main Road
• Waiakea – Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall, 111 East Puainako Street
• Waikoloa – Waikoloa Highlands Drive, 68-1845 Waikoloa Road
Starting Thursday, Sept. 1, all county and state facilities, offices and services will be restored.
All state courthouses and judiciary offices will be open for business as usual on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016.
The Hele-On Bus service will resume with the 3:15 a.m. bus to West Hawai‘i on Thursday, Sept. 1.
Solid waste transfer stations and landfills will open according to regular schedule on Thursday, Sept. 1.
County parks will open and programs will resume on a case by case basis pending damage assessments that will occur Thursday morning.
UH Hilo and Hawaii Community College will reopen Thursday, Sept. 1.
DOE public and charter schools will remain closed Thursday, Sept. 1.
Private school families are encouraged to check with their schools for more information.
Closures, postponements and cancellations beginning WEDNESDAY, AUG. 31
Hawai‘i County ports: Hilo Harbor and Kawaihae Harbor. The Coast Guard will continue to broadcast Notice to Mariners and post Marine Safety Information Bulletins on homeport.uscg.mil/Honolulu to notify the reopening of ports and any special conditions.
All state and county park facilities including lava viewing, are closed. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will be closed as of noon today.
BIG ISLAND SCHOOLS SUMMARY
All Hawai‘i Island public and private schools islandwide, including charter schools, UH Hilo, and Hawaii Community Colleges, will be closed Wedesday, Aug. 31.
UH SYSTEM SCHOOLS
UH facilities on Hawaiʻi Island plan to reopen Thursday, Sept. 1
If the situation for Sept. 1 changes, UH will update the UH community via email and text message and post details at www.hawaii.edu/emergency.
The facilities that plan to reopen tomorrow are:
- UH Hilo
- Hawaiʻi Community College
- Hawaiʻi Community College—Pālamanui
- ʻImiloa Astronomy Center
- North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center
- Hale Pohaku – Onizuka Center for International Astronomy and food and lodging facilities
- All UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) facilities on Hawaiʻi Island
- All UH Mānoa Institute for Astronomy (IfA) facilities on Hawaiʻi Island
Updates affecting UH campuses will be posted online.
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, AUG. 31 & Sept. 1
Hawai‘i Island DOE public schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday.
SCHOOLS
- Hawaii Preparatory Academy will remain closed on Thursday, Sept. 1. There will be no after-school sports and activities. Residential students will remain safely on campus until the storms pass. All classes are scheduled to resume on Friday, Sept. 2. For more information, call 808-885-7321; updates also are being posted on the school website at www.hpa.edu.
- All Hawai‘i Island inter-scholastic athletic events and student activities.
- Kua O Ka La Public Charter School
- Hilo High
- Honoka‘a High
- Kalanianaole Elementary and Intermediate
- Kamehameha-Hawaii
- Kau High
- Kea‘au High
- Kealakehe High
- Kohala High
- Konawaena High
- Laupahoehoe Public Charter School
- Mountain View Elementary
- Pahoa High
- Waiakea High
- Waikoloa Elementary
- Waimea Middle
CHARTER SCHOOLS
- Ka’u Learning Academy in Na’alehu (Wednesday)
- Kua o ka Lā New Century Public Charter School (Wednesday)
- Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science Public Charter School in Pahoa (Wednesday)
- Christian Liberty Academy (Wednesday)
- Connections Public Charter School (Wednesday and Thursday)
- Ka Umeke Kaeo (Wednesday and Thursday)
- Kanu O Ka Aina (Wednesday)
- West Hawai’i Explorations Academy (Wednesday)
- St. Joseph School (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
- A list of public charter school closures is posted online.
All County of Hawai‘i facilities, offices and services will be closed Wednesday, including Hele-On Bus service, solid waste transfer stations and landfills. All state and county park facilities including lava viewing, and some camping and remote areas of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will also be closed Wednesday.
ATHLETICS POSTPONED
- All BIIF sporting events scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday have been postponed.
- Girls Volleyball matches postponed for Wednesday:
- St. Joseph/HAAS
- Hilo/Laupahoehoe
- Parker/Makua Lani
- Ehunui/Christian Liberty
- Pahoa/Konawaena
- Girls Volleyball matches postponed for Thursday:
- Konawaena/Kealakehe
- Kea’au/Honoka’a
- Football game postponed for Thursday
- Kohala/Ka’u (at Kea’au HS)
EVENTS POSTPONED, RESCHEDULED
- Food Basket senior produce program locations canceled
- Meadow Gold Mall Walkers event has been cancelled for Thursday and rescheduled for next week Thursday
- Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce PUEO luncheon, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed and will be rescheduled to a later date
- Big Island Fair in Kona, scheduled for Sept. 8 to 11, has been postponed. No word on whether event will be rescheduled
- All County of Hawaii facilities, including solid waste transfer stations and landfills. Residents are asked not to leave trash at the gates. Wait until transfer stations reopen to dispose of trash and recycling.
- Hele-On Bus Service has been shut down for Wednesday
- All State and County parks, including the Kalapana lava viewing area, are closed on Wednesday
STATE OFFICE CLOSURES
State offices will be closed on Hawai‘i Island on Wednesday, Aug. 31. State employees on Hawai‘i Island will be granted administrative leave and should not report to work on Wednesday.
Exceptions are:
- Departmental Disaster/Emergency Coordinators
- Disaster Response Workers
- Employees whose work involves continuing crucial operations/services, such as hospital workers, correctional workers, etc.
Employees in the above categories are required to report to work unless department directors determine they can be excused. If employees are unsure whether they are required to report to work, they should seek clarification from their immediate supervisor or manager.
Hourly paid employees are not entitled to administrative leave.
State Courthouses and Judiciary Offices on Hawai‘i Island will be closed on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, due to severe weather conditions being projected by the National Weather Service.
The Chief Justice issued an order extending deadlines for any Hawai‘i Island court matters with a filing or hearing date of Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016. All documents due during the court closure will be considered timely if filed by the close of business on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016. Hearings or trials cancelled due to the closure of the courts shall be rescheduled to the next available date with due regard for any statutory mandates.
BUSINESS/CHURCH CLOSURES
- Freddy’s Restaurant in Hilo closes at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31
- All branches of Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union will close at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 31, in anticipation of severe weather.
- New Hope Hilo has cancelled its planned Wednesday services out of concerns and safety for volunteers and staff
- All Central Pacific Bank Big Island branches are closed on Wednesday
- ACE Auto Glass will be closed on Wednesday
- Hawaii Electric Light offices will be closed on Wednesday
Customers may still reach the company to report power outages and downed power lines by calling its trouble desk at 969-6666. - KTA Super Stores hours for Wednesday:
- KTA Puainako: 4:30 am – 11 am (Hawai`I Island’s Food Bank’s annual Feed-A-Thon has cancelled its Wednesday event at the KTA Super Stores Puainako.
- KTA Downtown Hilo: 7 am – 11 am
- KTA Kailua-Kona/Waikoloa Village Market: 5 am – Noon
- KTA Waimea/Keauhou: 6 am – Noon
- Oceanic Time Warner Cable will close its Hilo office at 2 p.m. on Aug. 31
- All Bank of Hawaii locations on the Big Island will be closed on Aug. 31
- ACE Auto Glass will be closed on Aug. 31
- Big Island First Hawaiian Bank Branches
Hilo – Hilo Shopping Center, 1205 Kilauea Avenue
Honokaa – Mamane Street at Kika Street
Kamuela – Kamuela Shopping Center, 67-1189 Mamalohoa Highway
Kealakekua – 81-6626 Mamalahoa Highway
Kona – 74-5593 Palani Road
Pahoa – Government Main Road
Waiakea – Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall, 111 East Puainako Street
Waikoloa – Waikoloa Highlands Drive, 68-1845 Waikoloa Road
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