Contractors hauled the first truckload of debris from homes destroyed by last year’s wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, on Jan. 16. The move marked the beginning of the second phase of debris removal efforts coordinated by federal, state and local officials.
Wildfires in Maui last August, fueled by dry conditions and high winds, killed at least 100 people and caused $5.5 billion in damage to thousands of structures. Thousands of residents remain displaced. Hawaii Governor Josh Green has said debris removal could take a year and has estimated the cost at $1 billion.
The US Army Corps of Engineers hired contractor ECC of Burlingame, Calif., to perform the debris removal. The initial contract is worth $64.2 million, a USACE spokesman says, and more contracts are expected to be awarded for the work. Maui officials have estimated that 400,000 cubic yards of debris needs to be removed.
To prevent ash and other debris from becoming airborne during transit, the contractor uses the “burrito wrap” method, USACE officials say. The process involves wetting the material, then wrapping it in thick plastic and sealing it with an adhesive. Col. Jess Curry, commander of the USACE recovery field office, said in a statement that the method has been refined with lessons learned from previous debris removal projects.
“We are dedicated to minimizing the dust produced by debris removal operations,” Curry said.
Cultural monitors are present for debris removal and monitoring any cultural resources discovered during the process. If that happens, state officials say monitors have the authority to stop work while they seek a resolution. In October, USACE awarded an $18.7 million contract to Honolulu-based architecture and engineering firm AEPAC for cultural monitoring during debris removal.
ECC, which has an office in Honolulu, is ranked No. 75 on ENR’s 2023 Top 200 Environmental Companies list. The contractor has also been providing soil sampling and air monitoring services as part of the cleaning up.
The contractor is delivering debris to a temporary disposal site near a recycling center in Olowalu, south of Lahaina in West Maui. The selection of the site has generated controversy in the area due to pollution issues. Maui Mayor Richard Blissen promised this month that the Olowalu center would only be used temporarily until a permanent debris site is built, though officials have not yet identified where that would be. The temporary site is needed to “return survivors to their packs and advance recovery efforts,” Blissen said in a statement.
This phase of debris removal comes after efforts to remove hazardous materials from the site. Tests last year revealed contaminants such as arsenic, lead and cobalt in wildfire ash, according to the Hawaii Department of Health. This effort focused on items such as compressed gas cylinders, pesticides and batteries that could cause safety issues during the ongoing cleanup. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, crews removed more than 220 tons of hazardous materials and 30 tons of lithium-ion batteries.
Temporary school and housing
Other wildfire recovery efforts are also underway. In November, the USACE awarded a $53.7 million base contract to Pono Aina Management LLC of Waianae, Hawaii, for the construction of a temporary elementary school campus in Lahaina for children whose school be destroyed by fire. This project is expected to be completed by the end of February.
Contractors placing 337 modular units to form a temporary school campus in Lahaina. Photo by Carol Vernon/USACE Honolulu DistrictMore temporary housing is also needed for displaced residents. In his State of the State address on Jan. 22, Green said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing rental assistance to 17,000 survivors through 2025 and that the American Red Cross is helping to house over 5,000 more at 30 Maui hotels. USACE is currently working on the design of hundreds of temporary housing units at three sites.
Jeff McCullick, USACE mission manager for temporary housing, said in a statement that officials could award a contract for construction on the first site as early as February. Contracts for two other sites would follow, likely in a matter of weeks, as designs are finalized. Green has also asked owners of short-term rental units to offer their properties as temporary housing, with the state offering to cover the fair market value of each rental for two years plus a tax exemption the property of 18 months.
The Maui Department of Water Supply is also continuing its efforts to clear the water as safe for unrestricted use. Officials had issued unsafe water advisories following the fires because of contamination concerns. On Jan. 19, the department cleared another section of Lahaina for normal water use, though some areas remain under warnings.
“As we move forward, we will continue to remove debris on West Maui safely and respectfully,” Green said in his speech. “And the plan is to listen to the people of Lahaina and rebuild the way they want to rebuild.”
