The state partially opened Mala Wharf and its boating ramp on Saturday — a welcome development that allows noncommercial fishing and recreational use to take place 24/7; and also opens boating traffic between West Maui, Molokai and Lanai, a means for connecting families across the islands.

On Monday, commercial vessel operations were also allowed to resume on weekdays only. Access to the wharf, about one mile north of Lahaina, is vital to some West Maui operators who’ve lost use of the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor, which was ravaged in the Aug. 8 fire and won’t be usable for as long as 24 months.