HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Backyard chicken farmers, pet owners and other groups are taking extra precautions to keep their birds safe after the state confirmed the first detection of avian flu in Hawaii. The disease was found in a backyard flock of birds in Central Oahu.

Avian flu spreads quickly by bird to bird contact. State health officials say people are unlikely to get sick from this strain, but people should still avoid contact with sick birds.

Aloha Animal Sanctuary in Windward Oahu rescues farm animals that have been abused or neglected.

“Goober” lost both eyes because of cock fighting injuries. He and his fellow feathered friends are flu free, but now the sanctuary’s executive director is worried about the threat.

On Friday, the state health department confirmed Hawaii’s first discovery of avian flu in Central Oahu detected in a backyard flock of birds. Health officials say the virus detected here matches the strain that has infected domestic poultry and dairy cows on the U.S. continent.

“We were devastated. My heart dropped and to be honest, I couldn’t process it. It didn’t seem real and just immediate panic set in,” said Rocio Tapia, Aloha Animal Sanctuary, executive director.

A Waialua egg farmer has similar fears. Workers are starting to spray vehicle tires while banning visitors.

“I’m scared to death,” said Michael Sencer, co-owner Waialua Egg Farm.

He has more than 300,000 birds and roughly 70 employees.

“I’d hate to see it hit us and we lose everything,” he added.

On Tuesday, Department of Agriculture got a report of at least 10 dead birds, a zebra dove, ducks, and goose at a Central Oahu property in an area served by the Wahiawa Wastewater Treatment Plant. Agriculture officials issued a quarantine order which requires all birds on property to be destroyed and the site cleaned and disinfected.

Tapia said to keep her animals safe, they are reinforcing enclosures to keep wild birds out. All tours and volunteer days have been indefinitely suspended and Saturday’s Friendsgiving event honoring their turkey “Coco” was canceled.

“This morning, we have implemented measures, disinfecting shoes, before you come in, washing your hands, changing gloves. We’re not allowing guests,” said Tapia.

“All that’s going to have to be canceled right now to just focus on safety and taking care of our our babies, our residents,” she added.

Rylee Brooke Kamahele has a backyard chicken coop in Mililani including a silkie chicken named Einstein.

“It’s scary for us,” she said.

“We get food from our chickens, they lay eggs for us and they also are pets for us,” Kamahele added.

Her egg laying pets are healthy and she is looking at protective measures.

“It’s super concerning. My family has been talking about different ways that we can keep our birds safe, some kind of netting,” said Kamahele.

Signs of avian flu are swelling, twisting of the head and neck and paralysis.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says keep germs away, keep wild birds and rodents out of chicken coops, secure feed bins, limit visitors and have a plan.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Maui firefighters are responding to a brush fire near Kahili golf course on Saturday, according to the Maui Fire Department.

Officials say the fire is in the brush between Maui Tropical Plantation and the golf courses.

MFD says as of just before 2 p.m., crews are making progress on containing the fire, and progression has stopped.

Maui County Officials notified the public via their Maui County Facebook page around 12:45 p.m.

Maui Fire officials say that multiple MFD units are on the scene.

MFD asks the public to avoid the area.

Road closures remain in effect.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

Disturbing footage has emerged days after a Hawaiian woman went missing from Los Angeles while on her way to New York City. 

Hannah Kobayashi, 30, flew from her home in Maui on November 8 and was meant to arrive in New York City the next day. 

But her family believes she vanished into thin air at Los Angeles International Airport and never boarded her connecting flight.

In a short clip obtained by HawaiiNewsNow, the young traveler was captured by a security camera disembarking the plane. 

In a separate YouTube video outside of an event in Los Angeles, Hannah can be seen wearing the same clothing that same day.  

Her family has also revealed that Hannah’s ex-boyfriend was also traveling on the same flight from Maui to LAX. 

But the duo did not sit together or speak on the flight after the former pair bought tickets before they broke up. 

Her father, Ryan Kobayashi, told the outlet that her former partner had boarded the connecting flight and reached New York.

Parts of the video also show Hannah outside of an event in Los Angeles

He also assured that the her ex-boyfriend has been extremely responsive and cooperative with the investigation.

‘A lot of worrying, a lot of confusion. Everything is just a blur it seems because I haven’t slept well since I’ve heard the news, and I really don’t know … it’s just really concerning. 

‘We’re just trying to get us as much information as we can,’ he said.  

While mother Brandi Yee and sister Sydni Kobayashi think Hannah left the airport and attended an event based on a series of texts suggesting she ‘had a spiritual awakening and was heading back to the airport’, a friend believes otherwise. 

The anonymous concerned companion said she received strange texts from Kobayashi’s phone – indicating that she may be in trouble. 

‘I got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds. For someone I thought I loved,’ the messages read.

The family also noted that the young artist’s phone has been off since November 11 and her last pinned location was at the Los Angeles Airport. 

‘She heard from Hannah. She was at LAX, and she said that she was scared,’ Yee said. 

Hannah Kobayashi, 30, flew from her home in Maui on November 8 and was meant to arrive in New York City the next day

Her father, Ryan Kobayashi, said: ‘A lot of worrying, a lot of confusion. Everything is just a blur it seems because I haven’t slept well since I’ve heard the news, and I really don’t know … it’s just really concerning’

Brandi Yee, and sister Sydni Kobayashi think Hannah left the airport and attended an event based on a series of texts suggesting she ‘had a spiritual awakening and was heading back to the airport’ 

The concerned companion said she received strange texts from Kobayashi’s phone – indicating that she may be in trouble

 Both mother and daughter also believe that the messages ‘did not sound like her’ and wonder if it was Hannah who sent them

Sydni further added: ‘She texted her that she was scared and that she couldn’t come back home or something. It was just really weird texts.’

Both Hannah’s mother and sister also believe that the messages ‘did not sound like her’ and wonder if it was Hannah who sent them. 

Yee remarked, ‘Yeah, we share location’ to which Sydni added: ‘And we know her phone’s off because it goes straight to voicemail. 

‘We’ve been trying to call and call and call, text. 

‘None of the texts are getting delivered. We can’t locate her phone.’

The family has filed a missing person’s report with the Los Angeles Police Department and requested anyone with information to come forward.

The family also noted that the young artist’s phone has been off since November 11 and her last pinned location was at the Los Angeles Airport

‘Please help her, if you can. If you know where she’s at, or you have the chance to just help her, please. We just want to bring her home,’ the mother said

‘We did everything that we could do. And they told us that it would be, it would have to take 48 hours before they could do anything, because she’s not elderly, she’s not mentally off. She’s not under age. 

‘I woke up last night crying and I just like, this like the sister, mother, anyone’s worst nightmare of losing your child. 

‘Please help her, if you can. If you know where she’s at, or you have the chance to just help her, please. We just want to bring her home,’ the mother revealed.

Father Ryan also added: ‘There’s a lot of people looking for you Hannah. So, if you get this, if you see anything, just go to the police, go to anybody. 

‘There’s a lot of people out there that care and love you, Hannah. If you can just get to somebody, whatever you can do, just let us know that you’re OK’