Yeah, but Maui is also only 735 sq miles. I guess 0.2% of it being on fire also doesn't seem like much, but it's still relatively severe, especially if it's one of the developed parts of the island.
The problem is there is really only one road connecting the two halves of the island. A small fire (or in the past flooding) in a small section can have an enormous impact of the island as a whole. We have short-term rentals in Maui and the west side and had guests stuck on the eastside sleep in the Walmart parking last. Our guests on the west side are without power for over 24 hours now I believe.
Looking at a map, there are zero credible roads that are presently safe that go from the unburned area North of Lahaina to anywhere else.
That's correct and while it is actually quite common for that road to become inaccessible and trapped on the west side, it is not common for closures to last as long as this has/is lasting and usually the closure isn't accompanied with a multi-day power outage as well.
You can go through Kahakuloa. It's not a great drive but it will get you to Kahului. My buddy went from Kapalua to Kahului this morning very early.
A lot of Maui's landmass is mountains with limited structures and development. So a two square mile fire in and around Lahaina in a pretty big deal.
Plus wildfire smoke is nasty, especially for those of us with respiratory issues to begin with.