It was confirmed NCIS: Hawai’i will be returning to fans’ screens for a third run by CBS in February 2023, but a premiere date is yet to be confirmed.
The hit police-procedural series has experienced some delays due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes which have caused many TV and film productions to be put on hold for the foreseeable.
However, there is a new threat looming in the distance which is expected to possibly cause delays for Jane Tennant (played by Vanessa Lachey) and her crew of special agents.
Recently wildfires have burned the historic town of Lahaina in Maui, Hawaii to the ground, causing complete devastation and havoc for those who live there.
This brings the burning question of will the ongoing wildfires cause delays for NCIS Hawaii?
Where is NCIS: Hawaii filmed?
Since NCIS: Hawaii’s storyline is set in Hawaii, the showrunners’ decision to film on several of the state’s islands makes perfect sense.
According to The Cinemaholic, filming for the series began at an undisclosed location on the North Shore of Oahu in June 2021, and was initiated by a traditional Hawaiian ceremony before filming began, as per the outlet.
Then a few days later on June 17, the cast started shooting at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, which is adjacent to the capital city of Honolulu.
The vibrant city’s Waikiki Beach is also another frequent filming location for the crew.
The cast also shoots in a studio for some scenes, with The Cinemaholic noting production appears to use the Hawaii Film Studio in Honolulu.
Will filming be affected by the Maui wildfires?
According to Google the distance from Honolulu to Maui, where the wildfires are, is 104 miles and takes an average of 47 minutes on a plane to reach.
This could mean it is unlikely the fires will directly affect the series at this moment in time, as the fires are on a completely separate island and are not heading in the correct direction.
However, an emergency services official said on Wednesday multiple Maui wildfire burn patients have been flown to Honolulu Hospital for treatment.
It is also expected Maui’s surrounding islands could offer a helping hand to those affected by the fires, whether that be a place to evacuate to or sending over resources.
When is NCIS: Hawaii season 3 set to premiere?
CBS originally planned for the popular series to return at the end of the year, however, it’s now looking like fans will be waiting much longer.
The writers’ and actors’ strikes are still going, and it shows no signs of slowing down, meaning scripted shows like NCIS Hawaii could possibly not return until 2024.
NCIS: Hawaii airs on CBS or is available to stream on Paramount+.