As students return to their Lāhainā schools Monday, the state has prepared an emergency exit route in case of a wildfire.
The $550,000 route is about 2.5 miles long, running from the Lāhaināluna fire land to the Lāhainābypass. The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation is working on adding another access point at Ho‘okahua Street and Lāhaināluna Road near the bypass.
Concerns were high as Lāhaināʻs school community questioned the Department of Educationʻs evacuation for wildfires and the quality of water and air in the surrounding schools.
“The community stressed the importance of reopening for our Lāhainā keiki,” Gov. Josh Green said in a Friday news release. “Having a mass evacuation route available hopefully will provide reassurance to students, parents, caregivers, and West Maui faculty and staff.”
The DOE has evacuation plans for tsunamis, earthquakes and building fires – but not for wildfires. According to Superintendent Keith Hayashi, the department is working on incorporating the emergency access route into its school action plans.
School officials, the Maui Police Department, the Maui Fire Department and the DOT will have keys to the emergency access gates.
Lāhaināluna High students returned to their campus on Monday, following Lāhainā Intermediate, and King Kamehameha III Elementary and Princess Nāhi‘ena‘ena Elementary.
King Kamehameha III will share a campus with Princess Nāhi‘ena‘ena until the temporary school at Pulelehua near the Kapalua airport opens. For now, the DOE provided a tent structure – with air conditioning and wooden floors – for students and staff to use as a classroom.
