The remaining truckloads of wildfire debris have been transported from the Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) site in Olowalu to the Permanent Disposal Site (PDS) at the Central Maui Landfill.

This milestone marks the transition to the restoration phase of the debris mission. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Environmental Protection Agency, County of Maui, State of Hawai‘i and local partners extend sincere thanks to the people of Maui for their patience and support during the debris transfer phase.

“From day one, our mission has been clear: protect the health of the community and the environment while moving debris safely and respectfully,” said Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, commander of USACE Honolulu District. “This milestone shows what is possible when local, state, federal and community partners work together with urgency and care.”

Mayor Richard Bissen said, “This milestone holds deep meaning for our community. The debris from Lahaina represents more than the physical remnants of what was lost — it carries the memory and spirit of a place and its people. With this transfer complete, the debris now rests in a protected area that will remain undisturbed, as we promised. As we begin the final phase to restore the Olowalu site, our focus remains on caring for our ʻāina, honoring our commitments, and moving forward with the same respect and diligence that have guided this effort from the beginning.”

As part of the restoration work, USACE and its contractor, Environmental Chemical Corporation (ECC), will begin to remove the liner, leachate system and other temporary infrastructure at the TDS site.

Residents will continue to see trucks hauling restoration materials and debris for approximately 10 weeks; however, the blue-and-white “Maui Wildfire Debris” identification stickers that were placed on the trucks will be removed or covered.

Restoration work will include efforts to restore the TDS site to its original state as closely as possible, as well as making road repairs and installing drainage and safety features. USACE and ECC also will remove temporary infrastructure that was installed along portions of the haul route.

A TDS restoration tracker has been added to the Maui Recovers website to monitor the progress of site restoration efforts; visit www.mauirecovers.org/debris-containment to view.

The Olowalu TDS site was completed in early 2024 as an interim holding site to safely contain Lahaina wildfire debris while the PDS was being developed. It was engineered with extensive environmental safeguards, including geotextile layers, a welded liner, leachate collection systems and groundwater monitoring wells.

USACE and ECC will conduct soil and groundwater testing to confirm that the protective systems functioned as designed, and that no contamination reached the surrounding environment.

The TDS facility received approximately 400,000 tons of ash, soil and fire-related material from approximately 1,390 residential and 149 commercial properties in Lahaina. To reduce dust, the wildfire debris was covered with clean soil while stored at the TDS site.

Debris transport to the PDS began in June 2025. On average, roughly 50 local trucks made an average of four trips daily during daylight hours.

For more information on the transfer of Lahaina’s wildfire debris and the restoration of the TDS, visit www.mauirecovers.org/debristransfer.