Crews plan to start work next week to clear county-owned land near the Maui Lani Parkway and Waiale Road. Photo courtesy Maui County

With 13 fires in the area this year and calls for police up 174% over last year, the Maui County Emergency Management Agency plans to start removing dangerous debris and wildfire fuels from approximately 52 acres of county-owned land in Wailuku.

The land where the work will be done is near the Maui Lani Parkway and Waiale Road, next to Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The project is expected to start Wednesday and wrap up by the end of November.

A project led by the Maui County Emergency Management Agency will remove wildfire fuels and dangerous debris in the area shown here. Photo courtesy Maui County

According to the county, workers will remove kiawe, haole koa and grasses, which are susceptible to ignition and rapid fire spread, and the accumulation of derelict vehicles, automotive fluids and other flammable materials has increased the wildfire risk, while posing other environmental hazards.

According to Maui police, calls for service in the area have increased 174% over the last year with cases related to terroristic threatening, theft, suspicious activity, warrant arrests, criminal property damage and promoting drugs, among others.

In a news release, representatives of the school and church applauded the project.

“The safety of our students, staff and families is always our top priority,” Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School Principal Timothy Shim said. “We are grateful to Maui Emergency Management Agency for helping make the area around Pōmaikaʻi Elementary safer for everyone. Over the past year, we’ve seen multiple fire incidents near our campus, as well as theft, which has raised real concerns for our school community.”

The county also says it and its partners have been frequenting the site to offer services to individuals experiencing homelessness since July.

These services include helping people get access to shelter, behavioral health services, medical insurance, SNAP food assistance, identification cards and reunification with family. Service providers on site include Family Life Center, Mental Health Kōkua, Aloha House and Maui Humane Society.

According to the county, the area contains culturally and environmentally sensitive sites with known iwi kupuna, and workers will remove hazardous debris under the guidance of cultural monitors and archaeologists.

For more information on MEMA’s Wildfire Risk Reduction efforts, go to mauicounty.gov/MEMA or call (808) 270-7285.

The land that will be cleared includes approximately 52 acres of county-owned property near the Maui Lani Parkway and Waiale Road. Courtesy photo