# 2025, 9 March, Maui Day 54, Olowalu Valley hike with Annie Schultz and Tigist Mammo · Phil Venditti · CC BY 2.0 · cropped
Olowalu’s highway has reopened, but the village evacuation order has not been lifted. In its Sunday, September 27, update, Maui County said both lanes of Honoapiilani Highway reopened at 10:30 p.m. Saturday after a brush fire near Olowalu Village, while the evacuation covering Luawai Street to Ehehene Street remained in effect.
For a West Maui arrival, that distinction changes the plan: an open through road does not authorize a return to the evacuated village. If you are comparing accommodation areas or adjusting an arrival, our Maui areas guide separates the island’s lodging bases; your property’s current instructions and county access notices should determine whether to make the drive.
- Road: Both highway lanes reopened Saturday at 10:30 p.m.; the county advises caution through the affected area.
- Evacuation: Olowalu Village from Luawai Street to Ehehene Street remains under an evacuation order.
- Fire: More than 100 acres, estimated 70% contained at 8 a.m. Sunday; no structures reported impacted.
- Support: Lahaina Civic Center Gym is an emergency shelter; South Maui Community Park and Gym is a temporary evacuation point.
- Next check: Watch Maui County and MEMA updates for a change in the evacuation order or highway status.
Highway Reopening Is Not a Village All Clear
The fire was reported at 1:57 p.m. Saturday, September 26, near Olowalu Village. An evacuation order followed at 2:39 p.m., with emergency sirens sounding at approximately 2:40 p.m., according to the county’s account.
The county told residents to leave immediately, move away from the fire area and follow emergency officials’ directions. Its Sunday notice specifically asks residents not to return until authorities lift the evacuation order, even though both highway lanes are open.
Older Saturday traffic reports can therefore give the wrong answer to a Sunday arrival question. Maui Now’s September 27 report, updated at 3:16 p.m. Hawaii time, also says both lanes reopened Saturday night and that the village evacuation remains in effect.
If a reservation, rental or planned stop lies inside the affected village area, check its precise location and speak to the operator before setting off. Neither the reopened highway nor the absence of reported structural damage confirms that a particular property is accessible or operating.
Fire Crews Remain on Scene
The more than 100 acre estimate and 70% containment figure describe conditions at 8 a.m. Sunday, not a completed firefighting operation. Maui Fire Department crews worked overnight and continued ground operations into the morning, with county and state resources assisting.
Two helicopters were on standby, but the county said strong winds were preventing safe flying except if needed for an emergency. That is a limit on the response described in the notice, not evidence that every West Maui road, beach or hotel is closed.
Maui Now reported that the high wind warning was replaced with a wind advisory at 3:04 p.m. Sunday, with the advisory running until 6 a.m. Monday. That later weather update does not itself lift the separate evacuation order.
Lahaina Shelter and Kihei Gathering Point Differ
The county lists an emergency shelter at Lahaina Civic Center Gym, 1840 Honoapiilani Highway, for people displaced by the fire. It offers basic amenities, including device charging, but residents should bring bedding, food, drinking water, medications, charging cables and other essentials.
Pets are allowed at the emergency shelter but must be in crates. Travelers displaced from the affected area should confirm current arrangements with emergency officials rather than assuming their hotel reservation, pet or supplies will be handled automatically.
South Maui Community Park and Gym, 1501 Liloa Drive in Kihei, is a temporary evacuation point, not an equivalent emergency shelter. The county says it provides a safe gathering place and device charging, but does not have the supplies or other amenities available at the shelter; operations at both sites depend on evolving conditions.
Check the Destination Before the Drive
Maui Emergency Management Agency is in full activation. The county directs people to sign up for Genasys Protect and MEMA alerts through its MEMA page and to follow county and MEMA updates.
Before crossing the affected area, confirm the latest highway notice, then ask the destination operator about access and opening status. Keep the village restriction separate from the wider West Maui arrival: the county’s notice confirms a road reopening, not a blanket all clear for every stop along it.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Need to drive through Olowalu | Check current county traffic updates; both lanes reopened, but caution remains advised. |
| Have a booking inside the evacuated village | Do not treat road access as permission to return; contact the operator and follow emergency directions. |
| Need emergency accommodation after displacement | Confirm arrangements at Lahaina Civic Center Gym; bring essential supplies. |
| Are heading to the Kihei evacuation point | Bring your own supplies; it is a gathering point, not a fully equipped shelter. |
September 27 is the status check. Highway reopening and village evacuation are different instructions; read both before departing.
An official evacuation lift is the return decision. Containment percentages or a weather downgrade do not substitute for it.
Is Honoapiilani Highway open through Olowalu?
The county’s September 27 update says both lanes reopened at 10:30 p.m. Saturday and remain open. Check for later notices before driving.
Has the Olowalu evacuation order ended?
No. The Sunday county update keeps the order in effect from Luawai Street to Ehehene Street.
Is the Olowalu fire fully contained?
The county estimated 70% containment at 8 a.m. Sunday. That is not full containment or permission to return.
Where is the emergency shelter?
Lahaina Civic Center Gym, 1840 Honoapiilani Highway. The Kihei location is a separate temporary evacuation point with fewer amenities.
