(BIVN) – All public lands north of the estuary at Honuʻapo in Kaʻū were set to reopen on today, following a several-month closure due to the bagasse fires in the area.

The Hawaiʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation announced Wednesday that the lands would reopen on Thursday, February 24. The area has been closed since October 7, 2021 in order to protect the public’s safety and welfare related to the active fires “and the resulting latent hot spots and voids are not readily observable as they occur beneath thick mats of grasses and vegetation.”

“We understand the importance of this place for our Kaʻū community and have worked diligently to make the area safe to reopen to the public,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “As we welcome back the community to a favorite fishing and lounging spot, we would like to extend a huge thanks to our Public Work’s Highways crew and our Firefighters for their work over the past few months. Reopening wouldn’t be possible without them.”

In a news release, the Hawai‘i Fire Department reported “that the area has significantly cooled”, and the Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works “has completed a fencing project that will maintain a safe perimeter around the affected areas.”