This rendering shows the planned Olowalu Fire Station. West Maui Improvement Foundation President Joseph Pluta said the new fire station could be completed by the end of this year.

The Maui Planning Commission approved on Tuesday a special use permit for the development of a fire station at Olowalu in West Maui, where there have been numerous wildfires.

The Olowalu Fire Station, about 8 miles south of the nearest fire station in Lahaina, would be capable of housing five firefighters a shift, said Joseph Pluta, president of the West Maui Improvement Foundation, which organized to support the project.

“We hope to finish it by the end of the year and turn it over to the county as well,” Pluta said. “After we get this thing approved and operating, we’re turning it all over to the fire department.”

Pluta said the grading work is underway along with archaeological monitoring of the site and other building permits are under review.

The foundation accomplished a similar task in the past in raising funds and building the Napili Fire Station and ambulance station before turning the complex over to the county.

Pluta said he’d love to see the Olowalu Fire Station eventually expand to have ambulance services, as well as an ocean safety equipment, noting there have been numerous shark sightings in the area in the past.

Several Olowalu residents have spoken in favor of the planned fire station, personally recalling evacuations from their homes and one of them noting the destruction of a house.

Rick Nava, executive director of the West Maui Taxpayers Association, said his group has supported more firefighters and firefighting equipment for years, and they are relieved to see plans for the Olowalu Fire Station moving forward.

“That’s a lot of weight off our shoulders,” Nava said.

No archaeological sites have been identified within the 4.3-acre fire station site, located about a half-mile north of the ocean.

A draft study published in November noted that nearby petroglyphs have been damaged by vandals or fires, and the Awalua Cemetery in Olowalu has some fire damage.

Under the proposal, the fire station would be 3,576 square feet in size, which is smaller than most fire stations.

The county said a mini truck for the station is under construction and is expected to be delivered to Maui by the end of 2026.

In the past, development projects have faced opposition in Olowalu, including a 1,500-home subdivision and a 59-unit Olowalu affordable housing project.

Critics have expressed worries about the potential impact on the coastline and coastal waters, including the Olowalu Reef.