Get ready for a slow ride if you're West Maui bound. Starting Monday, June 16, the Lahaina wildfire cleanup enters a new phase with debris being hauled from the Olowalu Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site to its permanent resting place by the Central Maui Landfill in Puʻunēnē. According to a statement from the County of Maui, you might want to factor in some extra travel time and drive with caution, especially around those heavy-duty trucks with their distinctive “Lahaina Wildfire Debris” decals.
The game plan involves about 50 trucks heading out on a roughly 19-mile journey from Olowalu to the landfill, upping the traffic ante on certain routes. With a route that takes advantage of former cane haul roads to help ease traffic load, these trucks will trundle along parts of Honoapiʻilani Highway (HI-30) and Kūihelani Highway (HI-380), so keep an eye out for slower-moving vehicles and remember: no passing or tailgating these haulers carrying 400,000 tons of debris. In partnership with the big guns like FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the county's embarking on this five-month haul during daylight hours only, keeping the crews and public out of harm's way when visibility drops.
Mayor Richard Bissen, in a statement obtained by the county's press office, said, "This is an important step in our recovery efforts and fulfills our promise to the residents of Olowalu that this debris storage would be temporary."
As for the debris itself, it's been given a bill of clean health, posing no public health risk according to the EPA and the Department of Health. To keep it that way, precautions are in place like wetting the debris for dust control and wrapping it in thick plastic before it hits the road, Mayor Bissen's office emphasized. And it's not just about getting rid of what's left after the wildfire. The county's also planning ahead with the acquisition of 79 acres that was approved back in December 2024, which should offer up a solid 10 years of landfill capacity while embracing more eco-friendly waste management methods.
For those looking to dig into the details or just more info on what to expect, the county's got you covered at www.MauiRecovers.org/debristransfer. And for the real-time update seekers or anyone needing more answers, the USACE Debris Hotline stands by at (877) 214-9117.
