HONOLULU (KHON2) — Nearly a year after the devastating wildfires swept across West Maui, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has marked a significant milestone in the recovery process.
Bringing new glimmers of hope that one day Lāhainā and its local residents will stand strong once again.
The fuel dock at Lāhainā Small Boat Harbor is set to reopen on Tuesday, Aug. 6, bringing much-needed relief to local boaters and signaling a major step forward in the historic town’s restoration.
The announcement was made at a news conference held at the harbor by the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) and Pacific West Fuels, the harbor’s fuel vendor.
Meghan Statts, DOBOR Administrator, and Gary Strutz, President of Pacific West Fuels, led the event, which included a blessing ceremony.
“This important step to rebuild infrastructure and resources at the harbor, for Lahaina and West Maui residents, will hopefully aid in the sense of overall recovery,” said Statts.
The reopening of the fuel dock means commercial vessel operators can refuel on Maui’s west side for the first time since the wildfires. More than 87 boats were destroyed in the fires which forced many boaters to relocate to other areas.
“A lot of the boaters have moved on to Maalaea side, we have boaters from Kā‘anapali,” explained Statts. “It opens up not just for commercial boaters but recreational boaters on West Maui who are in dire need of fuel to go out to do their fishing, to go to the other islands, to Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi to take care of family for hospital visits.”
The project, costing over $750,000, involved installing state-of-the-art equipment to ensure the fuel dock is reliable and self-sustaining.
“This was a big undertaking and no one knew until we got down to it. When we got down to it, we thought: when is the next chance we can make this happen?” said Johnny Pender, Pacific West Fuels site manager.
Gary Strutz shared the challenging decision to rebuild, noting the emotional and financial considerations.
“The DLNR asked me last November if we planned to rebuild and if so, when? We had a difficult decision to make. Emotionally we wanted to rebuild our business of over 30 years, but logically we had to consider that over 80% of our customers’ boats burned and it would be two years or more before the harbor was fully rebuilt,” he said. Despite the challenges, the shareholders unanimously decided to fund the rebuild immediately.
The fuel dock is part of a broader effort to restore the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor. Planned projects include dredging the harbor basin and entrance channel, reconstructing the inner marginal wharf, replacing front row piers and rebuilding the harbor office.
The Federal Highway Administration is providing 80% of the funding for the harbor office project, with debris removal handled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“As we approach one year since the Lahaina wildfires, images of a town and harbor ravaged by fire and the loss of life undoubtedly continue to occupy the hearts and minds of people on Maui, across the state, and throughout the nation,” Statts reflected.
The restoration of Lahaina Small Boat Harbor, estimated to cost about $30 million, is a vital part of the recovery efforts for the community.
With the reopening of the fuel dock, both commercial and recreational boaters can look forward to resuming their activities, bringing a sense of normalcy and progress to the area.
“We were glad we pushed ahead and we pushed ahead, primarily because we wanted to be part of the Lahaina recovery effort,” Strutz added. “We thought by being the first burned business to rebuild, it might inspire others to do the same.”
The reopening of the fuel dock is a hopeful sign for the future, as the community continues to rebuild and restore what was lost in the wildfires.