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How Lahaina cleared fire debris and moved it to permanent storage
Crews cleared 1,538 properties after the August 2023 fire. A later operation moved about 400,000 tons of debris from temporary storage to Central Maui.
Sources checked
- January 2024The Army Corps began its debris removal operation in Lahaina.
- August 2024Residential clearance was completed.
- 19 February 2025The county reported the final commercial property clear.
- 16 June 2025Transfer from temporary storage began.
- 22 August 2025The transfer was about 64% complete.
- October 2025The county reported the transfer complete.
Show 1 more dates
- 10 November 2025Removal of temporary site infrastructure was complete.
Crews first cleared properties. The county then reported progress in moving the material from temporary storage.
Residential and commercial clearance ended months apart
The county says residential clearance finished at the end of August 2024. It reported the final commercial property clear on 19 February 2025. The commercial total was 148 lots and the combined total was 1,538, which implies 1,390 residential properties. Source 2
Clearing a lot was one stage of returning it for use
The February announcement said clearing commercial debris let owners apply for rebuilding permits. The county also planned soil sampling and erosion control work at the final two lots before transfer back to the county. Those steps were separate from the act of removing the debris. Source 2
The transfer tracked progress against about 400,000 tons
On 16 June 2025, a second operation began moving debris from the temporary site at Olowalu to the permanent site in Central Maui. The county said the transfer was 53% complete on 13 August and about 64% complete on 22 August. The milestones track the movement of material after lot clearance. Source 3 Source 4
Completion of the transfer made way for site restoration
The county lists October 2025 as the end of the debris transfer. The Army Corps completed removal of the temporary site’s infrastructure, including liners and leachate systems, on 10 November. The county described that removal as a step toward final closure of the temporary site. Source 3 Source 5
Sources
- U.S. Army Corps start of Lahaina wildfire debris removal
- County of Maui final Lahaina commercial property clearance announcement
- County of Maui Lahaina debris transfer progress and completion
- County of Maui August 2025 wildfire debris transfer progress
- County of Maui temporary debris site restoration update