Fire crews on Maui continue to fight a brush fire that began Wednesday on the slopes of Haleakalā.
The so-called Crater Road Fire is 70% contained at about 350 acres, as of Friday afternoon. Containment refers to the perimeter that firefighters create around a fire to keep it from potentially spreading.
Fire in heavy eucalyptus on the mauka side continues to be problematic, according to the Maui Fire Department. The fire's forward progress remains stopped, but a change in acreage may occur due to the eucalyptus grove.
A previous advisory for residents above Kekaulike and Haleakalā highways between Upper Kimo and Waipoli roads has been lifted, as conditions have improved.
Officials said no houses or structures have been affected.
Crater Road remains closed, as does the summit area of Haleakalā National Park. Conditions will be reassessed on Saturday morning.
Visitors in more than 150 vehicles that had gone up Haleakalā Wednesday for the famous sunset views were not able to descend until around 4 a.m. Thursday because the narrow roads were blocked by fire crews.
All sunrise and overnight reservations for the summit area were canceled until further notice. The Kīpahulu District is open as normal, the park said in a statement.
Dozens of fire personnel and several helicopters were deployed to manage the flames at about 7,000-foot elevation. The 40 mph wind speeds were a concern for firefighters, MFD spokesperson Chris Stankis said Thursday. “The winds are a little stronger than our typical trade winds,” he said.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who is in charge while Gov. Josh Green is out of town until July 30, signed an emergency proclamation in response to the fire. The proclamation is a supplement to the one issued on Aug. 9, 2023, allowing the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency to take additional action if needed.
The initial proclamation — nearly one year ago — was a response to the wildfires that burned in Upcountry Maui and Lahaina, where at least 100 people died.
The Crater Road blaze is several miles from an area where 26 structures burned during the deadly wind-driven wildfires on Maui last August. “But the residents who lost homes are scared,” said Yuki Lei Sugimura, who represents the area on the Maui County Council. “It’s like PTSD.”
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen has also signed a county-level emergency proclamation.
"We are making progress every hour and the safety of our community is of the utmost importance. I encourage everyone to continue to remain calm and to continue to monitor the situation," said Bissen in a Maui press conference held Thursday afternoon.
This story will be updated as more information is released.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
