State and federal agencies on Maui have begun removing boats from Lahaina Harbor nearly two months after the deadly wildfire that destroyed most of the town.

A “Unified Command” composed of the U.S. Coast Guard, state Department of Health, and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has been implementing a phased response, searching and mapping the harbor and documenting debris and contaminants in the water as it attempts to clear it out.

In a Wednesday news release, Coast Guard District 14 said the Unified Command and contractor Global Diving &Salvage have begun “vessel recovery and removal” operations in Lahaina Harbor. The Coast Guard said that recovered vessels have been moved to a nearby parking lot that’s being used as temporary staging area, and that owners will be notified when their boats have been recovered.

According to the news release, so far more than 2,350 gallons of petroleum products, 200 pounds of hazardous materials — including multiple batteries — and eight vessels have been removed from the harbor.

“The response teams have carefully planned this operation, and a mission priority is preservation of the marine ecosystem,” the Coast Guard said in the release “The teams also have cultural and archaeological monitors advising on the recovery of vessels and debris in this historic area.”

The Unified Command has created a Harbor Coordination Group to communicate with owners and operators of affected vessels. Owners and operators can contact the Harbor Coordination Group at D14-DG-SH-SecHono-MTSRU @uscg.mil.