Maui County, HI Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Maui County, HI, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- County fire permit
- Not required for cooking/recreational fires
- Condition
- Must comply with DOH Clean Air Branch rules
- Governing section
- Maui County Code § 16.04E.210
- Related section
- § 16.04E.220 covers decorative/ceremonial fires
- Enforcement penalty
- Up to $2,500 fine or 30 days jail
Summary
Maui County's fire code does not require a permit for cooking or recreational fires, but section 16.04E.210 conditions that exemption on compliance with the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Air Branch's open-burning rules. Fires that don't meet DOH clean-air standards remain unlawful even without a fire permit.
10.10.1.1 Permits will not be required for cooking and recreational fires. Cooking and recreational fires must also be in accordance with this code and the department of health clean air branch's rules.
Full Breakdown
1 of the County's NFPA 1 fire code, the general provision covering outdoor fires. 160's permit categories. That exemption is conditional, not absolute: the same sentence requires cooking and recreational fires to also comply with the code and with the rules of the Hawaii Department of Health's Clean Air Branch, which separately regulates open burning statewide. A fire that violates DOH clean-air standards, such as burning prohibited materials or burning during an air-quality advisory, is not shielded by the County's no-permit exemption and can still draw fire-department enforcement.
220 treats separately and requires DOH Clean Air Branch approval for regardless of size. Together the two sections mean a resident does not need to call the Maui fire prevention bureau before grilling or lighting a bonfire, but does need to keep the fire within DOH's open-burning rules, and the fire chief retains authority to act on any fire that becomes a hazard.
Violations & Fines
A cooking or recreational fire that violates the Department of Health's clean-air rules, or that the fire chief determines poses a hazard, can still be shut down and cited under the general notice-of-violation procedure in section 16.04E.170, exposing the responsible party to a fine of up to $2,500 or 30 days in jail, escalating to $2,500 per day for a repeat violation within five years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to have a bonfire on a Maui beach?
Can Maui County still stop my legal cooking fire?
What's the difference between a cooking fire and a ceremonial fire under Maui's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maui County
How Maui County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Maui County to another location·View the Hawaii fire regulations overview
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