On Fridays, we share reader-submitted photos from Hawaii. As the tone of the Aloha Friday Photo series is happy and upbeat, it just doesn’t seem right to publish one this week. There are two, heartbreaking tourist-related news items that we felt were noteworthy.
Upcountry Maui Fire results in Haleakala Summit Closure
A wildfire is burning near the summit district of Haleakala National Park. As of Thursday, it was only 15% contained. Thankfully, it is not threatening homes or businesses at this time. The fire is also far away from and not impacting the towns, airports and resorts.
Due to the fire’s proximity to summit district, the Haleakala summit is closed until further notice. Of course, this affects visitors with reservations to watch sunrise from Haleakala’s summit. For updates, check the park’s website for alerts and conditions.
The coastal region of Haleakala National Park, which is known as the Kipahulu region, is open and unaffected by the fire. The Kipahulu region is a popular stop off the road to Hana.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority shares these fire safety tips for visitors:
- Avoid driving vehicles on dry grass or brush, including pulling over or parking. Heat from a vehicle’s engine and undercarriage could start a fire.
- Always dispose of cigarettes responsibly.
- If you see smoke or signs of a fire, call 911.
Helicopter tour crashes off the coast of Kauai
We are terribly sad to pass along the tragic news that there was a helicopter crash off the coast of Kauai on Thursday afternoon at around 1:20 p.m. Details are still emerging, but at this point, one person was recovered and confirmed dead with two others missing. A search and rescue mission has been deployed for the missing individuals.
Further updates are expected today. Check the County of Kauai Facebook page for updates.
We pray for the families affected by this tragedy and for those involved in the rescue operations.
Sheila Beal
