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Contact: Jessica Ferracane, 808-985-6018 In anticipation of Hurricane Iselle bearing down on the Hawaiian Islands, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will remain open, but park officials are closing all backcountry areas and some roads. Park officials will close the following areas as of 6 p.m. Wed., Aug. 6, 2014. Closures will remain in effect until the storm has passed and conditions are safe:
- Chain of Craters Road, from Devastation Trail parking lot to the coast
- All backcountry areas, including Mauna Loa and cabins
- Mauna Loa Road (known locally as “Mauna Loa Strip Road”)
- All coastal areas and trails, including, ‘Āpua Point, Keauhou, Halapē, and Ka‘aha
- Kulanaokuaiki campsite
- Nāpau campsite
- Nāmakanipaio campgrounds (the A-frame cabins will remain open)
Additional closures may be warranted as the storm gets closer. Kīlauea Visitor Center will remain open during its normal hours, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thurston Lava Tube will remain open. Volcano House and Kīlauea Military Camp will remain open.
The National Weather Service issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Hawai‘i Island at 11 a.m., Aug. 5. Forecasters predict extremely heavy rains, flash floods, high surf, and strong winds. A Tropical Storm Watch means that storm conditions are expected within the next 48 hours. While Iselle is currently listed as a hurricane, it is expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm as it gets closer to Hawai‘i.
For updates on Hurricane Iselle, go to http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/cphc/.
For Civil Defense updates for the County of Hawai‘i, and the location of local shelters, go to http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts/.
- NPS-
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Last updated: February 28, 2015