Maui County, HI, USA - August 08, 2024

Debris removal efforts are still underway on the Hawaiian island of Maui one year after devastating wildfires claimed more than 100 lives last August.

The fires, which broke out on Aug. 8 last year, destroyed more than 2,200 buildings and caused about 5.5-billion-dollar damage, according to data released by the U.S. government.

In the scorched town of Lahaina, there are visible signs of progress to rebuild, but more than half of its area is still not for re-entry.

According to the statistics of Maui County website for recovery efforts related to the 2023 fires, by August 7 local time, debris had been cleared from 1,367 residential homes and buildings. Altogether 132 property owners have submitted applications for reconstruction, and 48 got approved.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in charge of debris removal in Lahaina said that debris removal has been completed in most residential buildings, but that for the commercial ones is progressing at a slower pace.

Shotlist:
Maui, Hawaii, USA - Aug 8, 2024:
1. Debris removal efforts underway; workers, vehicles;
2. Roadside fences;
3. Road blocks, sign reading:"Do not enter";
4. Various of burnt landscape;
5. Various of burnt-down buildings;
6. Various of debris removal underway;
7. Tree stumps, scorched land;
8. Various of vehicles, burnt building;
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Swenson, USACE major:
"We have cleared 76 of 159 commercial and historical properties here in Lahaina town. And this is our work on our next one. We have several under debris removal right now, and we're looking forward to getting all of the commercial debris safely contained in the temporary disposal site and or recycled by early 2025.";
10. Various of burnt buildings; debris removal underway.

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