LAHAINA >> Maui Mayor Richard Bissen cautioned a crowd of more than 600 during a community meeting Friday night at the Lahaina Civic Center that it would be a “fair estimate” of 18 months to two years before those who lost homes in the deadly Aug. 8 wildfire could begin to rebuild.

But he also offered a sliver of hope for a shorter timetable, depending on “how many crews are working.” He noted that thanks to a big turnout of federal support, the search and recovery phase over the 5-square- mile disaster area that was expected to take eight to 12 weeks was completed in three, and that the Environmental Protection Agency’s current work to remove hazardous materials from properties was 50% complete as of Friday.

“This is going to be a heavy lift,” Bissen said of Lahaina’s recovery, “and the work is lighter with many hands, so it will take all of us together.”

Once the EPA has finished its work and property owners and residents are done visiting the sites, the Army Corps of Engineers will begin finalizing right-of-entry agreements so that clearing of rubble and debris can start to make way for rebuilding.

Depending on how quickly the agreements are obtained, it should take the Army Corps six months to a year to finish its work, according to Col. Jesse Curry. He said owners will be able to diagram their properties to indicate sensitive areas during the removal process.

“Cultural monitors will be in place at that time to oversee every step … and make sure we are honoring your community, your culture and property,” Curry said.

On the subject of air quality, state Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink said particulates containing asbestos, arsenic, lead, dioxins and other toxins that can cause cancer, respiratory problems and other health issues are not freely floating in the air, but adhere to ash and dust.

He said that in areas where preliminary sampling has been done, toxins were not detected in the air.

“The air is OK until or unless the ash gets disturbed and gets airborne. So that’s the concern,” Fink said. “The risk so far in the air has been low, and there are air quality monitors that are posted throughout the area and they are livestreamed online, and the quality has been good.

“And the air quality tests that the EPA did, those results were very reassuring.”

With property owners and residents reentering one of the burn zones starting Monday, “we expect that there may be disturbance to the ash and then the ash will get in the air, and that’s a concern. So it’s extremely important for people as they enter the impacted zone and potentially get exposed to areas where there were disturbed ash to take measures to protect themselves.”

Optional personal protective equipment kits are being offered to returnees during the county’s vehicle pass distribution. Reentry kits include NIOSH- approved face masks, goggles, gloves, coveralls and disposable shoe covers.

When it was his turn at the podium, county Department of Water Supply Director John Stufflebean explained that although Lahaina’s water sources were not affected by the fire, damage to the distribution system and depressurization allow contaminants to enter the system.

The day after the fire, water department crews began securing distribution lines and restoring water pressure, he said, with the system to undergo continued testing and flushing for weeks and months to come.

“The good news is that thus far, nothing in the distribution system has exceeded health (standards). So that’s good news,” Stufflebean said. “The unsafe-water advisory doesn’t mean your water’s contaminated; it means we need to test it before we can verify that it’s clean. So the main message is if you are in the unsafe-water advisory area, follow the rules on the website. … If you’re not in the unsafe- water advisory area, your water’s fine.”

Even still, he added, “it’s going to take a while.”

Echoing comments made Thursday by Gov. Josh Green, Bissen and other officials who spoke at the community meeting were adamant that the nearly 8,000 wildfire survivors who have been placed at hotels and other accommodations across the island would not lose their temporary housing.

FEMA Regional Administrator Bob Fenton emphasized the importance of applying by the Oct. 10 deadline for an array of housing, rental, repair, replacement and other assistance. He said $26 million in FEMA aid has already gone out to people affected by August’s wildfires.

With Maui’s tight rental market, Fenton said that steps are being taken for the federal government to lease entire housing complexes such as timeshare or apartment buildings, and then sublease units to those displaced by the fires. Additionally, Federal Emergency Management Agency already is looking at sites where modular units and other temporary housing can be built if needed.

The community meeting, which provided chili-and-rice plates to attendees, also served to introduce the five-member Lahaina Advisory Team formed by Bissen to represent the community in discussions and decisions about Lahaina’s future.

Bissen said the advisory team will sit “at head of the table to guide us going forward.”

The five team members are all longtime Lahaina residents, several of whom have generational ties to West Maui and suffered losses in the fire. One of its most prominent members is Archie Kalepa, a renowned waterman and crew member of the Hokule‘a and Hawai‘iloa voyaging canoes, who as the former head of the county’s ocean safety division was instrumental in standardizing the use of personal watercraft in ocean rescues.

“I will promise you this, while sitting on this committee and this board, I will do what is best for the people of Lahaina. You come first,” Kalepa declared. “But we all have to realize that we have to put others before us. So I want you to think long and hard about how we rebuild Lahaina, and put personal gain aside and think about how we will rebuild Lahaina for the next five generations and beyond.

“It will be hard, but this is the easiest path to doing that right now because we have nothing. It’s all gone,” he said. “So we have one chance, one chance to get this right. I know we can do this.”

The other advisory team members are Kaliko Storer, cultural adviser for Hyatt Resorts, Puu Kukui Watershed operations supervisor and Kula Kaiapuni Hawaiian immersion program parent; Kim Ball of Hi-Tech Maui Inc. and longtime Lahaina­luna High School wrestling coach; Laurie DeGama, owner of No Ka Oi Deli and Lahainaluna PTSA president; and Rick Nava, president and owner of Lahaina-based MSI Maui and former board member and officer of the West Maui Taxpayers Association and Maui Chamber of Commerce.

Nava, a native of the Philippines and a Lahainaluna alumnus, became emotional when recounting how he lost his home to the Aug. 8 inferno, barely escaping with his 93-year-old mother-in-law and two grandsons. “We were able to get out of there with maybe a minute when we saw our house burning … but we’re here today,” he said.

The loudest applause of the evening came when Josiah Nishita, head of the newly established county Office of Recovery, announced that Launiupoko Beach Park south of Lahaina is reopening to the public today. The beach park is a favorite family picnic spot, and many Maui keiki have learned to surf in its gentle waves.

A second community meeting will be held at 3 p.m Sunday at the Maui Arts &Cultural Center in Kahului.