Hawaii: Don’t burn Christmas trees at sacred Oahu sandbar

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s public lands agency is warning people that they face arrest if found burning Christmas trees at an oceanic sandbar. The sandbar is a popular gathering place for local boaters and tourists. Officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources say a tradition of piling up Christmas trees for bonfires on the sandbar is harming the environment. The slim stretch of reef and sand near a military installation is entirely surrounded by deeper ocean water. The sandbar is sacred to many Native Hawaiians who call the site Ahu O Laka. The remains of a Hawaiian chief from Maui were buried there centuries ago.