The Maui Emergency Management Agency says with the removal of debris in commercial areas completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the security contract for Lahaina’s restricted areas will end at 6 p.m. Feb. 28.

Barricades and “Do Not Enter” signs will remain in place in many parts of commercial Lahaina to restrict public access because of safety hazards as construction and deconstruction continues.

MEMA asks residents and visitors to not enter dangerous areas and to not cross or park on private property even though no structures exist.

“I want to remind everyone to be vigilant that this area is still not safe to be walking through and going to the beach or visiting the banyan tree,” said MEMA Operations Coordination Section Chief Kono Davis in a news release. “I know that everybody wants to get down there and see it, both visitors and residents alike. But it’s for everyone’s safety that we remain vigilant with current barricades and signage.”

Owners who see people walking across their properties or parked on their properties are advised to report the trespassing to Maui Police Department’s non-emergency line at 808-244-6400.

Maui County also recently installed security cameras in key areas in an effort to deter criminal activity and support law enforcement.

The ending of the security contract is the culmination of eight phases of lifting zone restrictions in Lahaina’s residential and commercial areas impacted by the August 2023 wildfires.