Hawaii wildfires prompt Foreign Office travel warning

“Wildfires are affecting a number of areas of Maui County in Hawaii,” the Foreign Office said on Thursday (10 August). “If you are due to travel to an area that might be affected by wildfires, contact your travel operator or accommodation provider before you travel to check that it is not currently impacted.”

According to reports, the fires have burned the historic town of Lahaina to the ground, displacing thousands of residents and tourists. Maui County authorities have also urged all holidaymakers to leave the island as soon as possible due to the limited number of resources available to face the crisis.

“A mass bus evacuation for visitors will be staged at Sheraton Maui Resort in Kaʻanapali this afternoon and take visitors directly to Kahului Airport,” authorities said on Wednesday (9 August).

“Five County of Maui buses, each with a capacity of 49 people, and five Polynesian Adventure Tours buses, each with a capacity of 50, will provide the transportation, with the first wave of buses expected to arrive at the Sheraton at about 4pm.”