The August 8, 2023 fires destroyed more than 2,200 structures in Lahaina and homes in Kula. Three years on, rebuilding is well underway, and nearly every rebuild starts with an excavator. Here's what site prep looks like and which county processes apply.
Where rebuilding stands
As of August 2026, Civil Beat reported nearly 600 homes rebuilt and about 315 under construction, with the county issuing or processing permits for roughly 1,000 more units. Commercial rebuilding on Front Street is just getting started.
Step 1: debris removal must be finished
The county won't issue a permanent building permit until debris removal is complete on the property. The Army Corps of Engineers cleared residential lots, and owners can look up their property's closeout package on mauirecovers.org. Some Kula residents found leftover debris after the government cleanup and had to finish clearing it themselves.
Step 2: the expedited recovery permit
Maui County created Disaster Recovery Building Permits for the Lahaina and Kula burn zones. Its contractor 4LEAF runs the Recovery Permit Center in the Maui County Service Center, 110 Alaihi Street, Suite 207, Kahului, phone (808) 270-5724. Owners whose plans had been approved in the five years before the fires can reuse those permits under a 2024 ordinance, which shortens the process.
Step 3: the excavation work
- Re-checking utilities: water, sewer and electric connections may have been damaged. Call 811 before digging; see our 811 guide.
- Removing old foundations and slabs that can't be reused.
- Re-grading and compaction for the new pad, plus drainage that meets current requirements.
- Wastewater: In Kula, required wastewater upgrades became a major cost and timing bottleneck. Some Lahaina lots were allowed to keep structurally sound cesspools under Health Department guidance. See the cesspool guide.
SMA and shoreline lots
On October 7, 2026, Maui County began a streamlined Special Management Area process for qualifying wildfire reconstruction in Lahaina. The Planning Director can still require extra studies or review for coastal hazards, cultural resources or drainage. Details are at mauirecovers.org/shorelinepermitting.
Archaeology and cultural sites
Lahaina is a National Historic Landmark district with known burial sites. Some commercial rebuilds have been required to complete an archaeological inventory survey before permits. One Front Street project received that requirement in July 2025, and the State Historic Preservation Division didn't sign off until June 2026. If anything is uncovered while digging, read what to do if you uncover iwi kūpuna.
Find help
See contractors working in West Maui and Upcountry. Some, like Travis MacDonald Excavation, list Lahaina among their service areas. Owners deciding whether to rebuild or sell can browse the market at Real Estate for Sale Maui, and those who plan to rent the finished home can talk to Maui Property Managements.
Sources
- Civil Beat: Maui wildfires 3 years later (Aug 2026)
- MauiRecovers: Permanent building permit for dwelling
- Maui News: Recovery Permit Center opens
- Maui News: Too soon to applaud rebuilding in Lahaina (2026)
- County of Maui: Streamlined SMA process for Lahaina reconstruction
- Hawaiʻi Public Radio: Leftover debris in Kula
- Maui Now: Kula rebuild and wastewater upgrades