Buxton debris cleanup will be a complex, long-term effort following home collapses

Cleanup efforts along the Buxton oceanfront are expected to take time and careful coordination in the wake of the unprecedented series of home collapses this week, as county, federal, and private property owners determine the next steps to deal with thousands of pounds of scattered debris.

Officials from Dare County and the National Park Service (NPS) have been conducting initial assessments of the impacted shoreline since the first five collapses occurred Tuesday afternoon, but hazardous conditions have slowed progress and have made the road ahead hard to precisely map out.

As of Thursday morning, large swells of 10 to 12 feet were forecast for the next 24 hours, and additional structural failures in Buxton or even Rodanthe remain possible. A comprehensive cleanup plan is unlikely to fully take shape for at least another day or two.

David Hallac, Superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, said earlier in the week that the NPS is working with property owners and partners to assess what’s on the ground—or in this case, on the beach and in the water—and to figure out what comes next once conditions allow.

Multiple property owners involved

According to a prior update from the National Park Service, an estimated four homeowners out of the seven collapsed Buxton properties have obtained the required NPS permits to hire private contractors to remove debris from the beach. But those permits do not necessarily mean that contractors have been enlisted or are ready to begin work.

Conversations between property owners, NPS, and Dare County were underway before the federal government shutdown began on Wednesday. Prior to the shutdown, Hallac indicated that the Seashore intended to provide at least some level of cleanup support in coordination with local partners.

Complicating matters, in addition to the shutdown and the number of owners involved, is the fact that not all debris remains along the immediate shoreline, and much of the debris has either washed out to sea or ended up inland in private neighborhoods. The NPS can only address Cape Hatteras National Seashore land, so private owners affected by debris will need to address their own properties.

Unique challenges in Buxton

Buxton’s cleanup will differ significantly from previous home collapse events in Rodanthe, both because of the scale and the landscape.

From 2020 through 2024, the 12 documented oceanfront home collapses on Hatteras Island occurred in Rodanthe. Buxton had not experienced major structural damage since Hurricane Emily in 1991.

This time, seven houses have collapsed in rapid succession during a single swell event, creating a widespread debris field. The topography and dense configuration of oceanfront homes in Buxton means that debris has not dispersed in a straightforward way.

Initially, the offshore storm system produced a southwest swell, which trapped pilings, lumber, insulation, and household items between neighboring houses instead of carrying it down the beach. Some debris has migrated several rows inland to properties well away from the oceanfront, while other pieces are drifting along the shoreline. There’s also the possibility that significant amounts of debris have been pulled offshore entirely, and a lot of material could be circulating in the nearshore environment, and could come back ashore days later—or end up in completely different areas.

County and contractor roles

Dare County’s debris contractor is expected to evaluate the site once ocean conditions improve, and possibly as early as Friday.

Per the county, affected homeowners are advised to work with their contractors to move debris from their collapsed homes to the right of way along Old Lighthouse Road. Once there, the county contractor will collect and dispose of the material.

NPS and county-assisted cleanup operations have been used in past collapses, but again, these initiatives typically involve one structure at a time. For example, after a single Rodanthe house collapsed in May 2024, more than 50 truckloads of debris were ultimately removed from the shoreline. With seven collapsed homes in Buxton, and debris scattered in multiple directions, this effort will be exponentially larger and more complex.

Officials also note that the timeline for full cleanup can stretch into weeks. After past collapses, lingering debris—particularly smaller household items, broken pilings, and insulation—often required repeated sweeps of miles of beach before the area was fully cleared.

Weather will dictate timeline

The current hazardous surf is delaying the start of heavy cleanup operations. With wave heights remaining elevated and additional damage still possible, officials are focused on safety and on preventing further collapses before large-scale debris removal begins.

However, once it’s safe to do so, cleanup efforts will begin as quickly and intensely as possible.

“This is an incredibly difficult situation for these homeowners, for the community of Buxton, and for everyone who loves Hatteras Island,” said Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard after a Wednesday site visit. “It is critically important that we get this debris cleaned up as quickly and safely as possible. Dare County will do everything possible to work alongside the National Park Service to restore these areas.”

Once the weather stabilizes, the combined efforts of homeowners, private contractors, the county, and the National Park Service will determine the pace of the cleanup, in addition to any volunteer efforts, which have also been a fixture in the past.

Buxton Civic Association (BCA) Co-Vice President Brian Harris confirmed Thursday morning that the BCA, along with the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association and the Cape Hatteras United Methodist Men, were in the process of organizing a volunteer cleanup event, which will likely be held next week.

In the meantime, residents and visitors are urged to avoid the affected beach areas due to safety hazards, including unstable pilings, exposed nails, and debris both onshore and in the surf zone.

Additional background information on Hatteras Island’s home collapses can be found in this September 18 article.

Photos of Buxton on Thursday morning from Don Bowers and Joy Crist.