This photo provided by Wayne Thibaudeau shows smoke rising from a fire near Paia, Hawaii, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (Wayne Thibaudeau via AP)

UPDATE: 6 p.m. Tuesday — Maui Emergency Management Agency has lifted all evacuation orders and warnings for the Holomua fire, allowing people to return to zones. The road at Hana and Baldwin is now opened. Baldwin Avenue from Paia gym to Makawao Union will remain closed until further notice. Advisories remain in effect due to smoke impacts. The fire had burned an estimated 300 acres as of approximately 5:30 p.m. Fire progress has been stopped. Containment estimates were not available. Paʻia Elementary School will be closed Wednesday.

Maui Fire is battling two brush fires near Baldwin Avenue and Holomua Road in Paia.

Maui Emergency Management Agency has issued evacuation orders for multiple areas in Paia due to smoke and proximity to the Holomua fire. Paia School and other facilities nearby were evacuated as well.

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

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

As of 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross had opened evacuation sites at Haliimaile and Pukalani’s Hannibal Tavares community centers. Makawao’s Eddie Tam and Haiku community centers were still being prepped and were not yet open. Evacuees are encouraged to bring food, water and supplies. Pets may be leashed and in crates.

Road closures include:

• Baldwin Avenue at Makawao Union Church

• Baldwin Avenue at Haliimaile Road

• Hana Highway at Baldwin Avenue

• Hana Highway at Holomua Road

• Paia-bound lane of North Firebreak Road

• Hana Highway Paia-bound lane at Haleakala Highway

Non-local traffic is asked to avoid Paia.

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

The brush fire of about four acres was first reported near Holomua Road and Baldwin Avenue at 1:30 p.m. Since then, fire spotting has estimated the blaze at more than 100 acres.

Paia resident Rod Antone was trying to coordinate evacuation of his elderly parents.

“It’s nerve-wracking,” he said. “Hopefully nothing happens to the neighborhood.”

Antone was working in a county building in Wailuku where he listened to radio updates but didn’t hear the sirens.

When traffic out of Paia started building, Wayne Thibaudeau decided to open a gate to give motorists an alternate evacuation route. Thibaudeau is one of the owners of Paia Sugar Mill, which closed in 2000 and is being renovated.

The route takes motorists through old sugarcane fields.

There was a steady stream of “cars packed with people” using the route, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.