VIDEO: The Maui Emergency Management Agency has lifted an emergency evacuation order as crews gain the upper hand on a brush fire in Kaanapali. The 33-acre fire broke out at 11:40 a.m. Monday mauka of Honoapiilani Highway, near Kakaalaneo Drive and the old Sugar Cane Train warehouse. Plumes of heavy smoke were visible from miles away. An emergency evacuation order was issued for the area north of Old Stuart Road, south of Kakaalaneo Drive, east of Honoapiilani Highway and Puu Huna Place, and west of Kakaalaneo Drive. The private road in Kaanapali Golf Estates and Old Stuart Road (Cane Haul Road) was opened for public use.
Tyler Tuipulotuโs family owns a farm, SMT Holdings, across the road from where the fire broke out. They scrambled to get all their equipment out. โAs soon as it happened, my mom left work. My sister left the house with my niece, my brother-in-law, my whole family basically ran over there to try to get all the trucks out, to get the equipment out,โ he said. โMy dad is still there. He refuses to leave. Thatโs his whole life. Heโs taking care of our livestock thatโs there. Weโre still shaken up,โ he added. The Maui Fire Department said the fire was knocked down as of 2:08 p.m., which means the fireโs forward progress was stopped and its intensity significantly reduced, but the fire is still smoldering and require further containment efforts.
