[Video]: Hawaii Rental Operator Loses Car as Kilauea Volcano Spews Lava, Flames
Mike Hale, who runs Big Island Auto Rental, was forced to leave his personal vehicle behind Sunday, as it needed to be jumped, while fleeing from the lava and smoke that has been erupting from the volcano.
![[Video]: Hawaii Rental Operator Loses Car as Kilauea Volcano Spews Lava, Flames](https://assets.bobitstudios.com/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto,dpr_auto,c_limit,w_920/m-clipboard01-52-3_1776003026051_i8uyrz.jpg)
An owner of a car rental agency on the Island of Hawaii is the subject of a widely shared video on social media, which shows lava from the Kilauea volcano engulfing his 2004 Ford Mustang and Star Wars mailbox.
Mike Hale, who runs Big Island Auto Rental, was forced to leave his personal vehicle behind Sunday, as it needed to be jumped, while fleeing from the lava and smoke that has been erupting from the volcano. His custom-made, R2-D2 mailbox, a gift from his daughter, was also a victim to the Big Island’s recent eruptions.
Hale later told The New York Times that watching the video, which was captured by a videographer who travels around the world documenting natural disasters, gave him a sense of peace.
“I have respect for the lava and for Pele,” he told the news outlet, referring to the Hawaiian goddess of fire. “She just wanted to come onto the property. I guess it’s just kind of surrendering to nature. Seeing it, I felt like ‘O.K., you have what you have, it’s done.’”
Related: Enterprise Offers Disaster Relief Aid to Puerto Rico
More Rental Operations

Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027
Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.
Read More →
Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations
Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.
Read More →
Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day
A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.
Read More →
This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See
This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.
Read More →
The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns
Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.
Read More →
U-Save Expands Indian Ocean Presence with New Master Franchise for Mauritius
The franchise has been acquired by Mauritian travel entrepreneur Umarfarooq Omarjee, an established figure in the island's tourism and mobility sector.
Read More →
Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030
A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.
Read More →
