Christmas tree bonfires are the rage at one Hawaii beach and state wants it stopped

Just a week after Hawaii fenced off a beach to stop nudest parties, state officials are trying to halt an equally odd practice of people hauling Christmas trees to a small island for insanely large bonfires.

The bonfires on Ahu O Laka — a wildlife sanctuary in Kaneohe Bay — have been going on for years, despite being illegal and dangerous, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources reported on Facebook.

Photos shared by the department on Facebook this week show the fires are reaching massive proportions, with flames rising 10 or more feet above the revelers.

“People are actually hauling trees to Ahu O Laka by boat and the burning of trees is detrimental to the sandbar and the marine surrounding ecosystem,” Chief Jason Redulla of Conservation and Resources Enforcement said in a release.

“Moreover, numerous photos on social media show these people clearly ignoring current COVID-19 mandates, which on Oahu restrict gatherings to fewer than five people and require masking when in close-proximity to others.”

The department says it received complaints about the fires after photos started showing up on social media. Critics note the aftermath of the parties is “tons of trash left floating; cans, bottles, plastic bags.”

The department says it has tried unsuccessfully to catch the culprits. “Clearly, our officers cannot be everywhere, all the time,” Redulla said in the release.

It’s the third time this month the department has been forced to act after learning of illegal activities in parks and on beaches.

On Jan. 3, one of Maui’s popular beaches was closed after officials learned mass parties — including “nudity, illegal alcohol and other illicit substances” — were being staged late into the night on weekends.

Two days later, a group of people were served with a cease and desist order after they took over part of Wailoa River State Recreation Area and claimed to own it, the state posted. The group planted up to 60 taro plants and banana trees in the park, and one man was seen “mowing grass,” the state said. The trees have since been removed, officials said.