A brush fire in Kahikinui, Maui that began Sunday morning continues as firefighters continue their efforts to contain and extinguish the fire.

The Maui County Fire Department announced road closures along Highway 31 in the Kahikinui Fire area began at 7 a.m. Monday to allow for safe air and firefighting operations.

What You Need To Know

  • The fire was first reported just before 10 a.m. Sunday, quickly growing from a quarter-acre to about 20 acres within a half hour
  • The Maui Fire Department responded with six engine companies, three minis, four air assists, two tankers and emergency callback personnel. They were supplemented with resources from the Maui Department of Public Works and state and private contractors
  • The Maui Emergency Management Agency issued an evacuation order around 11 a.m. Sunday, as high winds continued to fuel the blaze
  • Shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, serving as acting governor while Gov. Josh Green is out of state, signed an emergency proclamation addressing the situation

The rapidly expanding brush fire prompted the evacuation of area homes and the closure of Piilani Highway from mile markers 20 to 41 on Sunday.

The fire was first reported just before 10 a.m., quickly growing from a quarter-acre to about 20 acres within a half hour.

The Maui Fire Department responded with six engine companies, three minis, four air assists, two tankers and emergency callback personnel. They were supplemented with resources from the Maui Department of Public Works and state and private contractors.

High winds and challenging terrain, according to the county exacerbated the situation.

The Maui Emergency Management Agency issued an evacuation order around 11 a.m. as high winds continued to fuel the blaze. In addition to alerts carried by the new Genasys Protect app and the island-wide Wireless Emergency Alert system, Maui Police Department and MFD personnel conducted door-to-door operations for approximately 105 Kahikinui homestead lots.

By noon, MEMA’s Emergency Operations Center was activated and a temporary evacuation point was established at Grandma’s Coffee House, which remained open until 4:30 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the American Red Cross opened a shelter at King Kekaulike High School gymnasium.

As the fire spread across hundreds of acres in the late afternoon, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen issued an emergency proclamation, triggering county access to federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for emergency response efforts.

Shortly after 6 p.m., Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, serving as acting governor while Gov. Josh Green is out of state, signed an emergency proclamation addressing the situation. The proclamation expands the Aug. 8, 2023 emergency proclamation relating to the deadly wildfires in Lahaina, Kula and Kohala. It authorizes the adjutant general to activate the Hawaii National Guard to deploy state resources as needed to aid in fire suppression and protect public health and safety, property and natural resources. It also suspends laws that might impede or delay the execution of emergency functions.  

By 7 p.m., the fire had grown to 500 acres and the percentage of containment had not yet been determined. There were no reported injuries, and no structures were reported as threatened.

According to the county’s final update for the day, MFD personnel and private contractors will continue firefighting efforts through the night.

Editor's Note: This is story was updated to reflect new road closures (June 16, 2025).

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.