Maui County to begin clearing vegetation and debris from 115 acres at Kapūʻali in Launiupoko

The Maui Emergency Management Agency will begin a wildfire risk reduction project Monday on about 115 acres of county-owned land at Kapūʻali, also known as “Cut Mountain,” in Launiupoko.

From February 2024 through this past September, firefighters have responded to a dozen blazes at the property, near the intersection of Honoapiʻilani Highway and the Lahaina Bypass, according to the county.

Beginning Monday, work crews will remove hazardous vegetation and flammable debris to create defensible space for nearby communities, property and critical infrastructure. The county expects to finish the work by early next year.

Agency Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett said the recent Olowalu fire, fueled by hurricane-force winds, shows the continued need for wildfire risk reduction in West Maui. Heavy rain this year has spurred vegetation growth, which adds to wildfire fuel, he said.

“This project is a priority because of its proximity to residential areas, a beach park, a telecommunications tower and the Lahaina Bypass,” Lonokailua-Hewett said.

Multiple County departments, nonprofits and County contractors will take part. Hand crews and heavy equipment will clear brush and mulch vegetation, and workers will remove invasive grasses, haole koa and kiawe trees. Crews also will remove and dispose of abandoned vehicles, car batteries, gas tanks, tires and other debris.

The project will proceed in three phases, and the first begins Monday. The county reported that no one living in the area would be displaced during that phase.

As planning continues for phases two and three of the project, the county said it will work with community partners on outreach, assess individual needs and connect affected people with resources and housing opportunities. Current outreach includes food and water, medical and behavioral health care, and case management services, according to the county.

The county Department of ʻŌiwi Resources is advising on how to limit impacts to culturally sensitive areas. Crews will use hand-removal methods when necessary.

A grant agreement between MEMA and the nonprofit Maui Nui Resiliency Hui funds the vegetation mulching, with additional assistance from Hui Nehu and Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. The county Department of Environmental Management is coordinating debris removal through its grant agreement with the nonprofit Mālama Maui Nui.

For more information about MEMA’s wildfire risk reduction efforts, visit mauicounty.gov/MEMA or call 808-270-7285.