West Maui residents, neighbors and families recently got their hands dirty to protect something special to them: Lahainaluna High School.
“Today, we're creating fire breaks,” said Daniel Kauvaka, a Lahainaluna alum and equipment operations manager at the Maui Land and Pineapple Company. He was one of the many alumni joining the effort to create a critical buffer against future fires.
“As you all know, with the history of Lahaina and with wildfires, we're kind of protecting the keiki and everyone else for the future, and making it easier for them, for when it comes their time to take care of these fire breaks, it'll be easier, much easier process for them,” he explained.
Volunteers wielding weed whackers, driving tractors and brandishing hand tools cleared 9 acres of dry brush and green waste above the campus. Maui Land and Pineapple employees also helped create an emergency access road near the school.
With this year’s severe drought, the effort is more important than ever.
Maui United Way spearheaded the workday.
“Being able to have our community come out and actually get our hands dirty and make it happen and really come together, set aside any differences that we might have, and really do it for the kids,” said Jeeyun Lee, Maui United Way interim CEO and a West Maui resident. “Do it for the community. Do it for one of the last historic spaces standing in West Maui.”
Lahainaluna is recognized as the oldest school west of the Rockies. It sits upwind of Lahaina town and its campus was spared during the 2023 wildfires. Now, the community wants to ensure it stays protected.
The workday marks the launch of a long-term fire mitigation effort called the Lahainaluna Firebreak Initiative. It seeks to protect the high school — as well as Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary, Lahaina Intermediate, and nearby homes on Lahainaluna Road.
Lahainaluna Principal Richard Carosso said more volunteers than expected came out for the initiative.
“When we were initially talking and planning this, what capacity we had to have volunteers on campus, we were looking in the 50 to 60 range,” he said. “We probably had 70 people sign up and come out today.”
For Carosso, the turnout was meaningful.
“It just says so much about Lahaina, about the west side, and about how Lahainaluna — the place it sits within our community,” he said.
Along with Maui Land and Pineapple, other partners included Lahaina Excavation, Maui Emergency Management Agency and Hawaiian Electric.
Mikey Burke of Lahaina, serving as Hawaiian Electric’s West Maui Community Liaison, said the effort came together quickly.
“I think, the most magical part of all of this, is the kahea goes out and it's answered immediately, because of how much aloha people have for Lahaina, for Maui, for just uplifting our kaiāulu,” she said.
Volunteers said increasing campus safety and bringing peace of mind to school families and the community make all the work worth it.
