Brush fire on Hawaii island of Maui prompts evacuation order

WAILUKU, Hawaii – A brush fire has prompted evacuations and diverted some flights on the Hawaii island of Maui, officials said Thursday.

An evacuation notice was sent to the cellphones of residents in the town of Maalaea and in parts of Kihei, a Maui County official said. The county has opened shelters in Wailuku and Kihei.

Access in and out of Kihei on Maui was blocked as of 3:15 p.m., The Maui News reported .

Some flights to the island’s main airport in Kahului were diverted because the fire was affecting access to the facility, the state Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Hawaiian Airlines said its flights were operating as scheduled, but spokesman Alex Da Silva said the airline was urging passengers to check the status of their flights because the situation was evolving.

Officials say the fire started along Kuihelani Highway, which runs between Kahului and Maalaea, Thursday morning.

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Information from: The Maui News, http://www.mauinews.com