Outdoor burning rules in Honolulu 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.
Open burning on Oahu is governed by ROH Chapter 20 through its adoption of NFPA 1 Chapter 10 and runs alongside State Department of Health air quality permitting requirements.
ROH Chapter 20 adopts the State Fire Code and NFPA 1 Chapter 10, covering imu pits, agricultural burning, recreational fires, and ceremonial fires. Cooking and imu fires require 15-minute advance notice to the HFD Fire Communication Center. Recreational, decorative, or ceremonial burning also requires written property owner permission and a letter to the Authority Having Jurisdiction at least 14 days before the event. The Hawaii Department of Health Clean Air Branch issues parallel agricultural and land-clearing burn permits, and the Fire Chief may suspend open burning during high fire danger.
Unauthorized open burning exposes operators to extinguishment orders, Fire Code citations, and state air pollution penalties in addition to cost recovery.
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See how Honolulu County's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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