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The National Park Service reported that 11 people were cited for illegally entering closed portions of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday.
Ten men and one woman allegedly sneaked past closure signs and ventured to Halemaumau Crater’s rim, park officials said.
Each was cited $100 for violating a lawful closure, $250 for disorderly conduct, plus a $30 processing fee.
“When people put themselves at risk, they put first responders at risk,” said Chief Ranger John Broward in a news release. “Some of the offenders were spotted right at the sheer edge of the crater, which is now about 1,500 feet deep and extremely unstable. They are fortunate none of them died.”
Most of the park has been closed since May 11 due to seismic activity and collapse events at the Kilauea summit. The park recently announced a target date of Sept. 22 for a partial reopening of key attractions.