DLNR EXTENDS PUBLIC ACCESS CLOSURE OF MAUNA KEA AREAS DUE TO CONTINUED FIRE RISK

Due to continued drought over the past year on the island of Hawai‘i and extreme fire hazard conditions due to dryer than normal vegetation, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is extending the closure of Mauna Kea Forest Reserve and Ka‘ohe Game Management Area until February 28, 2011. Closure authority is under Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 185, the Land Fire Protection Law.

Though portions of the area have received some rainfall over the last few weeks, drought conditions persist due to lack of rainfall over the past year and the vegetation is drier than normal. As of December 23, 2010, the U.S. Drought Monitor still considers much of the area as being categorized as drought intensity D-2 (severe) and D-3 (extreme).

“Vegetation surveys in the affected areas have confirmed that extreme fire hazard conditions persist. An extended closure is necessary to protect the sensitive and unique natural resources in the area,” said Roger Imoto, DLNR’s DOFAW Hawai‘i branch manager, “We thank the public for their patience and understanding, since minimizing the severe fire risk involves temporarily closing some areas from public access.”

The area under the extended closure includes portions of the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve, below 10,000 feet elevation, between Waikahalulu Gulch, west to the gate 1.1 miles past Kemole, all of the Ka‘ohe Game Management Area, and all roads in the Ahumoa and Skyline area. No public access will be allowed until sufficient rainfall reduces the fire risk in the area. Pohakuloa Training Area will also be closed to public access until further notice by the Department of Defense.

All public activities will be affected by the closure. These activities include, but are not limited, to hunting, hiking, bird watching, off road vehicle use (ATV, motorcycle, OHV, etc.) and commercial activities.
Kapapala Forest Reserve and Kapapala Ranch Cooperative GMA will re-open for public use January 1, 2011 and Pu‘u Anahulu GMA and Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve will re-open for public use on January 31, 2011.

More information posted at http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw







Drought Monitor Available:  http://drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?HI




Link to previous Mauna Kea Forest
Reserve Closure press releases:

05/26/10
- DLNR CLOSES MAUNA KEA FOREST RESERVE DUE TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER

08/31/10
- DLNR EXTENDS CLOSURE OF MAUNA KEA FOREST RESERVE DUE TO EXTREME FIRE
DANGER

10/19/10
- DLNR EXTENDS CLOSURE OF MAUNA KEA FOREST RESERVE, ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL
CLOSED AREAS DUE TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER




Information on 2010 Mauna Kea Recreation
Area Wildfire that started on August 22, 2010:

08/23/10
- WILDFIRE ON MAUNA KEA NEARS STATE PARK, THREATENS NATIVE WILDLIFE

08/24/10
- WILDFIRE ON MAUNA KEA AT 55 PERCENT CONTAINMENT

08/25/10
- WILDFIRE ON MAUNA KEA IMPROVES TO 60 PERCENT CONTAINMENT

08/29/10
- WILDFIRE ON MAUNA KEA NOW AT 70 PERCENT CONTAINED

08/30/10
- WILDFIRE ON MAUNA KEA REMAINS AT 70 PERCENT CONTAINED

08/31/10
- WILDFIRE ON MAUNA KEA NOW AT 80 PERCENT CONTAINED

09/03/10
- MAUNA KEA STATE RECREATION AREA TO REOPEN ON MONDAY