Updated May 2026. Originally published August 2021.
Brush fires have always been part of life on the Big Island. But the stakes have changed. What was once an occasional nuisance has become one of the most serious considerations for anyone living in or moving to Hawaii.
The Wake-Up Call: Lahaina
In August 2023 a firestorm decimated the historic town of Lahaina on Maui, killing over 100 people and destroying more than 2,000 structures. It was one of the deadliest wildfires in American history. For those of us on the Big Island, it was a reminder that Hawaii’s wildfire risk is real, serious, and not limited to the dry leeward coast. Several fires broke out at the same time in the Kawaihae area, but no lives were lost.
The Mana Road Fire
The most dramatic illustration of Waimea’s own wildfire risk came in late July and early August 2021, when the Mana Road fire scorched more than 42,000 acres of mostly grassland above Waimea — largely on Parker Ranch — making it one of the largest wildland fires in recorded Hawaii history.
The fire started on arid Parker Ranch land south of the eastern outskirts of Waimea town. Very strong and gusty winds from the northeast drove it rapidly along dry pasture land on the northern slope of Mauna Kea. Delays in obtaining equipment and coordinating response allowed the fire to spread up the western flank of Mauna Kea, jump Old Saddle Road, and cross the road between Waimea and Waikoloa. Residents of Pu’ukapu Hawaiian Homestead and Waiki’i Ranch were ordered to evacuate, and the fire eventually triggered a third evacuation order for Waikoloa Village.
Two ranch houses were destroyed south of Waimea town, but homes in Waikoloa and Waiki’i suffered nothing worse than a heavy coat of smoke and ash. Parker Ranch temporarily lost a significant portion of its grazing land. Even though I live no more than six miles from where the fire started, I never smelled smoke — a testament to how dramatically conditions vary across just a few miles of terrain here.
There have been many smaller brush fires over the years. This is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing reality of life in this part of the island.
Waimea and the Dry Side
Brush fires are common on the dry side of Waimea and the leeward coast. The pattern is familiar to longtime residents: lush grass grows after a good rain, and if it is not grazed down it eventually dries and becomes excellent fuel. Waimea, Waikoloa, and Kawaihae are all identified as high-risk wildfire zones on the Big Island.
Fires can start in surprising ways. A few years ago a fire broke out not far from Waimea Middle School — believed to have started when a catalytic converter on a car that had pulled over on the road ignited the dry grass. There was property damage but no loss of life. We were fortunate.
In recent years the National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings for critical fire weather conditions covering North Kohala, South Kohala, and interior portions of the Big Island, with wind gusts up to 50 mph and humidity as low as 40%. Hawaiian Electric has begun monitoring conditions and may shut off power lines in communities with high wildfire exposure — a direct response to the role downed power lines played in the Lahaina disaster.
The Wet Side Is Not Immune
People assume that the windward side of the island — the Hamakua Coast, the wet side of Waimea — is safe from fire. It is not.
In 2021 a fire burned 1,400 acres near Paauilo on the Hamakua Coast. The fuel source was the abandoned eucalyptus plantations that dot that landscape. When the sugar plantations closed, someone decided to plant eucalyptus for pulp. The trees were planted too close together to be mechanically harvested, the project was abandoned, and brush grew up between the trees. It apparently didn’t take much to light the whole place on fire. Those plantations are still there.
Where I Chose to Live — and Why
I deliberately chose the wet side of Waimea. Having practiced water law in Colorado I like the idea of plentiful water at all times — and I like to sleep at night. Worrying about fire keeps me up. I may have overdone it slightly in terms of rainfall, but I’d rather have too much rain than too little.
I have clients who want to live on the dry side regardless of the fire risk. I understand the draw — ocean views with Maui in the background, warmer temperatures, the absence of mud. When I want any of those things I drive to the Kohala Coast for a brief visit. I’m always glad to get back to the cooler, greener, calmer world on the wet side.
What This Means for Buyers
Wildfire risk is now a mandatory consideration when buying property anywhere on the Big Island — not just the obvious leeward areas. Here is what I recommend as part of any due diligence process:
The Bigger Picture
Hawaii’s wildfire problem is fundamentally a land management problem. Experts point to invasive fire-prone grasses that have overtaken vast areas of the islands as the primary fuel source for most wildfires. When I was a child it was routine to see black skies and flakes of burned sugar cane — fields were burned after harvest before a new crop was planted. We need to find modern equivalents of that kind of land management, or we need to stop building in fire-prone areas. Preferably both.
The beauty of the Big Island is inseparable from its landscapes. Protecting those landscapes — and the people who live among them — requires taking fire risk seriously.
Judy S. Howard, Esq. is a Realtor Broker with COMPASS in Waimea, Hawaii, and a licensed Hawaii attorney with over 30 years of experience. She can be reached at judy@livinginwaimea.com or 808-885-5588.
