New milestone reached: USACE completes residential debris removal in Lahaina, commercial properties 64% cleared

The US Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with federal, state, and local agencies, has completed debris removal from all residential properties devastated by the August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina. The milestone marks the return of 1,390 completed residential properties to the County of Maui. Property owners are now able to apply for building permits as part of the next phase in the rebuilding process.

While debris and ash had been cleared from the last residential lots in late August, soil sampling and erosion control measures had to be implemented to ensure environmental safety before transferring the properties back to the County. 

USACE Recovery Field Office Commander, Lt. Col. Collin Jones, highlighted the significance of the milestone.

“This marks a major step forward for Lahaina’s recovery,” said Jones. “We are proud to have completed the residential debris removal ahead of schedule, but the collective effort continues as we focus on clearing commercial properties and helping this community rebuild.”

The focus now shifts to the ongoing commercial debris removal, which is currently 64% complete. So far, 102 commercial properties have been cleared of debris, with 72 out of 159 commercial properties completed and returned to the County of Maui. Completion of commercial property debris removal is forecast to be early 2025.

As USACE transitions its operations to fully focus on commercial properties, residents can expect reduced cleanup activity, fewer trucks transporting debris to the Temporary Disposal Site in west Maui, and less traffic related to cleanup activities in and around Lahaina.

The TDS will receive fewer debris shipments as well, and tonnage accumulated will be reported weekly instead of daily. Traffic control measures, including the signal on Honoapiilani Highway, will remain in place to ensure trucks safely cross the highway, though with much less frequency.

Site preparation for the Kilohana Temporary Housing site is on track to complete by the end of October. The Fleming Road Sewer project is slated to be complete in early December, ensuring critical infrastructure is in place to support the temporary housing.

For ongoing updates, residents can attend the Weekly Disaster Recovery Community update meetings at the Civic Center or visit the MauiRecovers website for more information. For additional information, contact the USACE Hawaii Wildfires Public Affairs Office at 808-835-4062 or hawaiifiresmedia@usace.army.mil.