Maui County has begun a multi-phase vegetation and debris removal project at Kapūʻali (Cut Mountain) in Launiupoko to reduce wildfire risk to nearby homes, infrastructure, and a beach park. The project, led by the Maui Emergency Management Agency, is expected to wrap up by early 2027.
- Hand crews and heavy equipment will clear brush, invasive grasses, and trees from 115 acres of county-owned hillside land above residential areas and the Lahaina Bypass.
- Firefighters have responded to 12 fires at the Kapūʻali property between February 2024 and September 2025, prompting the county to act proactively.
- This year’s heavy rainfall accelerated vegetation growth, increasing fuel loads on the hillside; the recent wind-driven Olowalu fire underscored the ongoing risk.
- The three-phase project begins with no resident displacement in phase one; phases two and three will include housing assistance and community outreach for affected people.
- The county’s Department of ʻŌiwi Resources is advising crews to minimize impacts to culturally sensitive areas throughout the cleanup.
Source: Hoodline
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