Holomua Fire in Pāʻia: 50% contained, no forward progress overnight, 380 acres burned

The Holomua Fire that started Tuesday afternoon in Pāʻia on Maui burned an estimated 380 acres and was 50% contained this morning, with no forward progress reported overnight.

Maui Fire Department Public Information Officer, Christopher Stankis issued an update this morning saying firefighters spent the night monitoring the perimeter and addressing hot spots and flare ups. The Maui Fire Department firefighters supported by tankers and heavy equipment will continue work today to improve containment and work toward extinguishment, he said.

Portions of Baldwin Avenue above and below Pāʻia school and Holomua Road are closed to traffic as County of Maui Public Works crews remove hazardous trees that pose a risk to public safety, according to department reports.

Firefighting assets on the ground Tuesday included: six engines, three wildland apparatus, two tankers, two State of Hawaiʻi airport fire apparatus, contract tankers and heavy equipment. There were also three helicopters working to douse the flames.

Today, fire suppression will include two fire engines, two wildland apparatus, and two tankers, supported by heavy and equipment and tankers from private contractors, according to fire officials. Winds this morning were trades blowing at 5-10 mph.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency noted that evacuations of 1,672 people took place on Tuesday afternoon as a precautionary measure in and around Pāʻia. The evacuation orders were lifted at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. FEMA authorized the use of federal Fire Management Assistance Grant funds to assist the state in combating the blaze.

MFD officials say only one home was threatened yesterday, but did not burn. No structures were threatened this morning.

The brush fire was first reported at 1:29 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 in an area long Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue in Pāʻia.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.