Community meeting on wildfire debris removal for Lahaina properties, Dec. 18

Officials from County of Maui and from federal agencies will be offering information and updates about debris removal, transportation and containment of debris and ash for properties in the Lahaina Wildfire Disaster Area during a community meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18, at the Lahaina Civic Center.

The removal of ash and approved fire-damaged materials from private property is part of Phase 2. Phase 1 occurs when US Environmental Protection Agency removes hazardous materials of paints, solvents, oils, batteries and pesticides from properties. EPA said it completed removal of hazardous materials in Lahaina from 1,374 residential and 74 commercial properties on Nov. 22. A remaining 173 properties were deferred because of physical conditions that prevented safe access to the properties.

All 83 zones in the Lahaina impact area were reopened for re-entry by residents ahead of schedule Tuesday, Dec. 12.

The US Army Corps of Engineers has been assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to complete debris removal. 

Property owners who complete right-of-entry applications authorizing the Army Corps to access their property will have debris removed by the Army Corps at no out-of-pocket cost beyond any insurance proceeds designated for debris removal in their homeowner’s policy. Without the ROE access, a homeowner will be responsible for the cost of removing debris on their property and compliance with required safe disposal.

The meeting Monday, Dec. 18, will be livestreamed on the County of Maui Facebook page.