Dust clouds envelope passing cars on Highway 11

PAHALA, Hawaii: The raging brushfires in near Pahala may be out, but that doesn’t mean the town is free of choking clouds.

Now, the threat comes from dust storms, like this one that pushed a sooty shadow over Highway 11, just to the immediate west of Pahala.

These cars seemed to disappear into the passing swirl

Acres of bare dirt combined with dry, windy conditions are perfect for the dust storms, which have been plaguing this section of Ka’u ever since the wildfires burned through gulches and macnut orchards a few weeks ago.