Is burning allowed in rural Puna?

[Bob Orts]

The County Code section as currently adopted was posted by Big Island. That gives the regulations as required by law. Follow that and you will stay within the law. It's not a complicated piece of reading. What may cause confusion is you also need to reference the definitions as written in State law (the need to reference it is noted in the very first section of the Chapter). Basically, small yard waste and rubbish is what the County is talking about for no permit and follow the safety guidelines. Large piles are another ball of wax.

FYI, if you build an enclosed structure, its true the code for open fires does not apply, but the regulations for incinerators (next section) do apply along with all the permits, technical requirements and inspections.

[Rob Tucker]

Eightfingers,

Call Puna Rental and see what a chipper costs to rent. Let us know. Chipping and shredding can leave you some nice useful stuff for the yard and garden. If your pile of green waste is of such size that it is a concern to burn then mulch may be worth the effort.

Best wishes.

[james weatherford]

Mulching it is definitely good, though not cheap.

A few (6?) years ago when we were camping (BC = "before construction"), this is what we encountered with the fire station in HPP:
a cooking fire was OK and an open fire at night was OK; and, of course, have water on standby for precaution; and, of course, the person who sets the fire, no matter the purpose or hour, is responsible for what ever it burns.



James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park