(BIVN) – On March 22, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will close to all visitors until further notice.

The closure is in response to the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and actions outlined by the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i. The park will offer no services except those that support visitor or resource protection, officials say.

“The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is our number one priority,” a Saturday media release stated. “The National Park Service (NPS) is working with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor COVID-19. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website, and social media channels.”

The National Park Service explained that the following services and operations will be suspended on Sunday in order to comply with the State of Hawai‘i action until further notice:

• All public areas, including trails, roads, campgrounds, the backcountry, and public restrooms are closed to visitors.
• All commercial tours and special use permits are suspended.
• The Kahuku Unit is closed.

The NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, as well as the curriculum resources created by the park’s education team for families at home with children in kindergarten through high school that highlight the geology, biology and Hawaiian culture that define the park.