A pule ceremony on Monday celebrated the completion of restoration work and closure of the temporary debris storage site at Olowalu. As of Dec. 19, all hauling operations and restoration activities at the site had been completed. Photo courtesy Maui County

The restoration of the temporary disposal site at Olowalu, where hundreds of thousands of tons of debris from the devastating August 2023 Maui wildfires was stored, is now complete.

Maui County officials, including Mayor Richard Bissen, celebrated the completion of the work with a pule ceremony Monday after all hauling operations and restoration activities at the former temporary disposal site wrapped up Dec. 19.

According to the county, the site has been restored to its original contours, along with some key infrastructure improvements. It was a monumental task, as the amount of debris has been equated to five football fields stacked five stories high.

“When the colossal debris removal project began, we promised the community that we would restore Olowalu to its pre-use state, and I’m grateful that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of Hawaii helped us make good on that commitment to our people,” Bissen said. “Mahalo especially to West Maui community members — we could not have expedited the rebuild without your support of this temporary disposal site. Wildfire-impacted Lahaina residents have been able to return home faster thanks to this major mission, and its completion marks a key achievement that required many hands and hearts from all levels of government and an array of private partnerships.”

This before and after image shows the progress made at the temporary debris storage site at Olowalu. Photo courtesy Maui County

Under the oversight of FEMA and with the collaboration of state and county officials, the Army Corps of Engineers led the operation, which required the removal of roughly 400,000 tons of wildfire debris.

Data collected during the restoration process, including monitoring well samples and soil tests, is available via the county’s recovery website at mauirecovers.org.

“We are proud to have successfully completed the restoration of the Olowalu temporary disposal site, fulfilling our commitment to the people of Maui,” said Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, Honolulu district commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Debris transfer to the temporary disposal site in Olowalu, adjacent to a former landfill, began in January 2024. The transfer from the temporary disposal site to the permanent location in Central Maui began in June.

In addition to the debris transfer being completed, the cane haul road has been fully restored and is no longer in use, according to the county.

Roadway improvements to affected sections of Honoapiilani Highway and the Lahaina Bypass have been completed, including the removal of all temporary traffic signage and lights.

Improved drainage features designed to reduce the risk of runoff and further protect the surrounding ecosystem were also installed.

Monitoring wells have been closed, and all soil testing requirements have been met.

For more information on the restoration of the temporary disposal site, visit mauirecovers.org/debris-containment.