On June 2, 2026, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 1:52 p.m. and responded to a lost hiker on the Mount Kaʻala Trail in Waiʻanae with 6 units staffed with 17 personnel. The initial 911 call located the incident on the Waialua side of Mount Kaʻala, however, updated GPS information more accurately put the hiker’s potential location on the Waiʻanae side. The first unit arrived on scene at 2:14 p.m. to secure a landing zone nearby to prepare for air operations.
It was reported that a male visitor was hiking on the trail, became lost and was unable to descend on his own. Air 1 arrived in the area to perform a search of the hiker’s reported location, while ground rescue personnel used an HFD pick-up truck to access the summit of Mount Ka’ala from the Waialua side and begin search operations by ground. Rescue personnel arrived at the hiker’s side at 6:17 p.m., confirmed the hiker was uninjured and escorted the hiker to the Board of Water Supply road where an HFD pick-up truck then drove the hiker and rescue personnel to the trailhead. The hiker declined any medical care.
All HFD personnel were accounted for with no injuries reported.