Evacuation orders lifted: Brush fire in area of Holomua in Pāʻia grows to 300 acres

Update: 9:45 p.m., 7:20 p.m, 6 p.m., Sept. 23, 2025

The Maui Emergency Management Agency has lifted all evacuation orders and warnings for the Holomua fire as of 6 p.m., allowing people to return to zones. However, advisories remain in effect due to smoke impacts.

The fire was first reported at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 near Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue in Pāʻia. The fire had burned 300 acres as of approximately 5:30 p.m., according to fire officials, but authorities say fire progress has been stopped. Containment estimates are not available.

MEMA issued evacuation orders just after 2 p.m. today for multiple areas in Pāʻia via EAS, WEA, Genasys, MEMA Alerts and a siren; Maui Police Department had conducted door-to-door evacuations prior to MEMA’s evacuations. For specific zone locations, visit https://protect.genasys.com/search or download the Genasys Protect app.

Evacuation sites are in the process of closing. Haʻikū Community Center has closed.

Non-local traffic is asked to avoid Pāʻia.

Closures include:

• Holomua Road
• Baldwin Avenue from Pāʻia Gym to Hāliʻimaile Road

Pāʻia Elementary School will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 24, due to the impacts of a wildfire in the Pāʻia area. This will impact both students and staff of Pāʻia Elementary School. The campus is without power at the request of the Maui Fire Department to assist its response efforts in the area. Crews are working to restore service. Updates will be provided as soon as possible following a campus damage assessment.

Administrators at Maui Christian Academy (formerly Doris Todd Christian Academy), which is located further away from the fire in the mauka section of Baldwin Avenue, lauded the efforts of emergency responders. “We were really proud of our faculty and staff who were calm, prudent, and followed our emergency plan perfectly. The firefighters were awesome too. We were so impressed with their actions and how they worked so efficiently on our community’s behalf,” said Principal Jimmy Fitt, noting assessments and determinations at the private school will be made early Wednesday morning. As of 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, power had been restored in that particular area.

As of 7:20 p.m., an estimated 497 customers remain without power in the Pāʻia area due to wildfire response efforts. Power was turned off to impacted customers at the request of the Maui Fire Department due to fire in the area. This outage is not considered a Public Safety Power Shutoff, according to an update posted by Hawaiian Electric.

The County Budget meeting slated for tonight in Pāʻia has been canceled due to the fire.

Sign up for Genasys Protect and MEMA Alerts at www.mauicounty.gov/MEMA.

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Update: 4:30 p.m., Sept. 23, 2025

Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect following a fire first reported at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 near Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue in Pāʻia.

The County of Maui issued an update at 4:30 p.m. saying the American Red Cross had opened evacuation sites at Hāliʻimaile and Pukalani’s Hannibal Tavares community centers. Makawao’s Eddie Tam and Haʻikū community centers are still being prepped and not yet open. Evacuees are asked to bring food, water and supplies. Pets may be leashed and in crates.

Evacuation orders were issued by the Maui Emergency Management Agency at around 2:09 p.m. for multiple areas in Pāʻia due to smoke and proximity of the Holomua fire. Door-to-door evacuations, along with evacuations via EAS, WEA, Genasys, MEMA Alerts and a siren, have occurred. For specific zone locations, visit https://protect.genasys.com/search or download the Genasys Protect app.

Officials with the state Department of Education say school had already let out for the day at Pāʻia Elementary School, which is located on Baldwin Avenue. “There were just a few students in A+ on campus. As a precaution, staff transported those students to Baldwin Beach Park for families to pick up from there,” said Nanea Ching, Communications Director for the Hawai‘i State Department of Education in an email to Maui Now.

At around 2:50 p.m., Hawaiian Electric reported an estimated 497 customers are without power in the Pāʻia area. This was a request from the Maui Fire Department due to response efforts in the area. See the current outage map for latest information: Maui County Outage Map | Hawaiian Electric

Non-local traffic is asked to avoid Pāʻia. Closures include:

• Baldwin Avenue at Makawao Union Church
• Baldwin Avenue at Hāliʻimaile Road
• Hāna Highway at Baldwin Avenue
• Hāna Highway at Holomua Road
• Pāʻia-bound lane of North Firebreak Road
• Hāna Highway Pāʻia-bound lane at Haleakalā Highway

The County Budget meeting slated for tonight in Pāʻia has been canceled due to the fire.

Maui Fire Department has two helicopters, a battalion chief, four engines, one tanker, along with other assets responding. A state Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting unit is also onsite. Multiple private dozers, tankers and other assets are also responding.

The fire was first estimated to be four acres in size, but an updated estimate is not available at this time. County officials say that since then, fire spotting has occurred, and the fire is estimated at more than 100 acres.

MEMA is in full activation and its call center has been opened at 808-270-7285. 

Update: 3:36 p.m. update

Maui Emergency Management Agency issued evacuation orders and warnings for multiple areas in Pāʻia due to smoke and proximity amid the Holomua fire. The orders went into effect at around 2:09 p.m. today, Sept. 23, 2025. The fire was first reported at 1:30 p.m. in an area near Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue in Pāʻia.

Door-to-door evacuations, along with evacuations via EAS, WEA, Genasys, MEMA Alerts and sirens, have occurred or are occurring, according to county officials.

A portion of Baldwin Avenue and Holomua Road are closed due to firefighting efforts. Maui Police issued a road closure update at 3:30 p.m. saying Baldwin Avenue is closed from Hāliʻimaile Road to Hāna Highway. Motorists are asked to avoid the area.

Officials with the state Department of Education say school had already let out for the day at Pāʻia Elementary School, which is located on Baldwin Avenue. “There were just a few students in A+ on campus. As a precaution, staff transported those students to Baldwin Beach Park for families to pick up from there,” said Nanea Ching, Communications Director for the Hawai‘i State Department of Education in an email to Maui Now.

At around 2:50 p.m., Hawaiian Electric reported an estimated 497 customers are without power in the Pāʻia area. Crews are responding.

There are no brush fire size estimates at this time.

For specific zone locations, visit https://protect.genasys.com/search or download the Genasys Protect app.

*If you have your own photos/video of news happening that you would like to share, you may send them to newsdesk@mauinow.com.

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As of 2:25 p.m, an evacuation order was issued for a portion of Pāʻia. This is due to a brush fire reported at around 1:29 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 near Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue in Pāʻia.

Smoke impacts may also be present.

Cameras on the ALERTWest site show visible smoke in the area.

The Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) continues to monitor the situation and will provide additional information as it becomes available.

For real-time evacuation notifications, zone status updates, and to download the Genasys Protect evacuation app, visit: https://protect.genasys.com