Hawai‘i Convention Center gets fewer wildfire evacuees than expected
The Hawai‘i Convention Center will stay open as a shelter for Maui residents and visitors displaced by the wildfires at least through Sunday night.
Convention Center General Manager Teri Orton said overnight guests peaked at 79 on Thursday night, far short of the 4,000 that officials had prepared to host.
“We have found that most people are opting to stay at the airport and wait for a flight to leave versus coming back. Others are going to hotels or to stay with friends,” Orton said. “If the numbers don’t pick up, we will likely move our assistance center to the airport instead.”
Even if the site remains open, Orton said there are plans to downsize space for the center’s emergency assistance, which has been offering evacuees meals, water, clothing, and help booking lodging and travel.
“The people who have come have really needed help,” she said. “Many have come with just the clothes on their back. I’ve given out a lot of polo shirts with the convention center logo.”
She said the center has been told to prepare to host evacuees for at least 24 hours, but possibly up to 48 hours. However, evacuees are coming in at a slower clip, with a more prolonged timeline.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
Logistical problems like road closures, and the widespread loss of power, including cell phones and internet service in the West Maui region initially made evacuation difficult.
The state Department of Transportation said police are now allowing traffic out of West Maui. DOT said Honoapi‘ilani Highway, Route 30, fully reopened in both directions into and out of West Maui at noon today, but will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for a curfew.
Access to historic Lahaina town is still restricted. Residents will need to show identification to gain access to restricted intersections in Lahaina, and anyone visiting West Maui has to show proof of a hotel reservation.
DOT said non-essential travel to Maui is strongly discouraged. It’s been advising people who were unable to get flights out of Maui previously to continue trying.
DOT said Hawaiian and Southwest airlines have added flights to Honolulu from Kahului. Seats are available today with scheduled departures from noon through 9:45 p.m.
