Photo: Getty Images
Wildfires continue to ravage Maui, killing 36 individuals, and causing thousands to evacuate. Locals left without power are actively seeking refuge at homeless resource centers scattered across the island. On August 9th, the governor of Hawaii declared an "emergency proclamation to discourage non-essential air travel into Maui." As of August 8th, 1,800 people (both tourists and local evacuees) sought shelter at the Kahului Airport overnight.
Hawaii State Department of Transportation officials have made plans for tourists to fly out of Maui as fire continues to plague the region. According to SF Gate, tourists currently vacationing in Maui are being transported to Oahu until further notice.
Upon arrival in Oahu, the tourists will receive sleeping accommodations at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. All flights into the Kahului Airport through both American and United Airlines have been cancelled as empty planes fly tourists and other evacuees from Maui to the mainland. SF Gate mentioned that Delta Airlines has added two flights to "help accommodate customers from flights canceled on Aug. 8 due to conditions on the ground.”
Tourists flying Southwest Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines with connecting flights at the Kahului Airport are encouraged to change their travel itinerary away from the island at no additional cost. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort And Spa has lost power and all communication with tourists planning to stay at the hotel in the near future has been temporarily severed.
For more on how to help those displaced by the Maui wildfires visit: How You Can Help Maui Wildfire Victims In Need.
To view before and after photos of Maui visit: Shocking Before And After Photos Show Maui Wildfire Destruction.