Pa‘ia Elementary School on Maui to remain closed

Pa‘ia Elementary School on Maui will remain closed today as monitoring continues following post-fire cleaning.

The school has now been closed for four school days since Tuesday’s Holomua wildfire burned 400 acres and led to the evacuation of 1,600 Paia residents. A Maui Fire Department investigator has determined that the fire was intentionally set.

Professional cleaning of the campus was completed on schedule over the weekend, but soot continues to affect the campus, and additional precautions are being taken to ensure a safe return for students and staff.

The state Department of Education is working closely with a neighboring landowner who is watering the property line to help reduce airborne dust. In addition, windows are being sealed off to minimize further exposure.