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State and county offices, except for essential services will be closed Friday and some facilities are closing Thursday as Hurricane Iselle approaches.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie said the National Guard is at the ready and state and local governments were closing offices, schools and transit services across Hawaii. Emergency shelters are being opened across the state.
Below is a list of some of the closures:
STATE OF HAWAII
All state offices will close Friday.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources has closed all state parks on Hawaii island, Maui and Molokai. Also closed are forest reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, natural area reserves, forest hiking trails, and game management areas on Hawaii island and Maui.
Also closed is the Manoa Falls trail to hiking and Peacock Flats to hiking and camping.
All state parks on Oahu will be closed by 7:45 p.m. Thursday (Diamond Head will close at 6 p.m.) Scheduled to be closed on Oahu by 6 a.m. Thursday are state forest reserves, natural area reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and game management (public hunting) areas, and Na Ala Hele Trails. State forest camping areas will be closed no camping and hunting permits will be issued.
By 6 p.m. Thursday, Kauai camping areas, including Waimea Canyon, Alakai Wilderness, Sugi Grove and Kawaikoi will be closed. The Division of State Parks also closed Napali Coast State Wilderness Park and the Kalalau trail. State parks, state forest reserves, natural area reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and game management (public hunting) areas, and Na Ala Hele Trails on Kauai will also be closed.
>> State offices in Maui County (Maui, Molokai and Lanai) and on Hawaii Island will close at noon Thursday, and remain closed all day Friday.
>> State courthouses and judiciary offices on Hawaii island and Maui County will be closed beginning at noon on Thursday through Friday.The closures include the Children’s Justice Centers, Offices of the Public Guardian, and Driver’s Education Offices on Hawaii Island and Maui County. In addition, Drivers Education classes scheduled on Maui County for Thursday will be cancelled. Family Court hearings scheduled at the Molokai Courthouse on Thursday and Friday will be rescheduled to Thursday, August 28 and Friday, August 29.
HAWAII COUNTY
Hawaii County offices close at noon Thursday and will remain closed all day Friday, August 8, because of expected weather impacts from Hurricane Iselle and Hurricane Julio.
Essential employees whose work involves continuing crucial operations and services will remain on the job. These employees have been identified by their departments and are required to report to work.
Absentee walk-in voting will continue at four sites in Hawai’i County from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday. Those voting sites are Aupuni Center in Hilo, the West Hawai’i Civic Center, Waimea Community Center and Pahala Community Center.
To provide for everyone’s safety, the following county facilities have been closed:
>> All County Parks and Beach Parks will not open on Thursday and will remain closed until further notice.
>> All County Solid Waste Transfer Stations and both the Hilo and Puuanahulu Landfills will close at noon on Thursday.
All Hele-On buses are scheduled to operate as normal on Thursday and Friday. However, due to heavy rains and potential road closures, bus routes may be canceled with little or no notice. Please prepare for alternative transportation during this hurricane event. Delays are expected.
Senior Nutrition Programs and Elderly Recreation Program activities are canceled Thursday and Friday. Van service provided by Coordinated Services for the Elderly has been suspended for Thursday and Friday.
Residents are strongly encouraged to stay off roadways and travel as little as possible to avoid wind and flooding hazards.
The U.S. Postal Service will close all 28 postal facilities on Hawaii island by noon Thursday due to Hurricane Iselle.
Officials said Big Island offices will make their best effort to deliver mail, post mail to PO Boxes and open their retail lobbies before noon.
Postal Service officials said they will make additional decisions regarding adjustments to postal operations on other islands as needed.
MAUI COUNTY
Mayor Alan Arakawa declared a state of emergency for the entire County of Maui and the county will suspend Maui bus service and officials prepare for the potential onslaught of Hurricane Iselle. The state of emergency extends until further notice, the mayor says.
All county swimming pools will close at noon Thursday; Waiehu Golf Course will issue final tee times at noon Thursday and remain closed; all camping sites will be closed Thursday – Sunday; all community centers will be closed starting noon Thursday; all county beach parks will be closed starting Thursday; and all other county parks will be closed from noon Thursday.
>> The Summit and Kipahulu Districts of Haleakala National Park will close at noon Thursday. The park will not open for sunrise viewing on Friday.
OAHU
TheBus and Handi-Van will not be in service Friday for the safety of drivers and passengers. TheBus will stop service at the end of the day Thursday. Starting at 10 p.m. Thursday, TheBus will operate as a shuttle service to provide free rides to passengers on Oahu who plan to evacuate to hurricane shelters. The city will soon release the designated routes for the shuttle service.
