Ask the Mayor: Are Residents Allowed to Burn Green Waste?

Portable outdoor fire pit. Photo credit Debra Lordan.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his office staff.

Aloha Mayor,

Q: Are residents allowed to burn green waste in a residential area as long as they inform the fire department? Mahalo.

A: Open burning, including backyard burning of green waste, is generally prohibited except for activities such as cooking, fire training and agricultural burning with a valid permit. Other types of open burning require approval from the state Department of Health. The rules regulating open burning are Hawai‘i Administrative Rules (HAR) Section 11-60.1 Subchapter 3.

Violations of open burning rules may result in fines of up to $10,000 per day for each offense. Owners, operators or managers of the property, businesses or industries where open burning occurs will be held responsible.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email, by phone at 270-7855 or by mail to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.