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Question: What agencies or departments do I call regarding a neighbor burning trash for hours? It happens two to three times a week. We live on the Big Island in a very dry and windy area (it doesn’t rain for weeks). I do not want to approach this household (sketchy) for fear of retaliation. I’m extremely concerned, especially after what has recently happened in California.
Answer: Backyard burning of garbage and yard waste has been prohibited on all islands since 2012, according to the state Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch. Open burning of any kind is generally prohibited, although there are exceptions, such as for outdoor cooking, firefighting training and agricultural burning with a valid permit, according to the branch, which regulates such activities under Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) Section 11-60.1, Subchapter 3.
You asked which agency to call, and mentioned California, the scene of devastating wildfires (the causes of which are under investigation). To be clear: If your neighbor starts a rubbish fire that is spreading or likely to spread, call 911 for an emergency firefighting response. This would be for a fire burning at the time you call.
If, however, the situation is not urgent, you may contact DOH’s Clean Air Branch during regular business hours to report a potential open-burning violation. Ask the DOH staff to keep your identity confidential. You will need to provide your neighbor’s address or location so that investigators can follow up.
You may call the office on Oahu directly, at 586-4200. Call toll-free from the Big Island by dialing 974-4000 and entering “64200” at the prompt, according to the branch’s website.
You may also reach out by email, fax or regular mail:
>> Email: cab@doh.hawaii.gov
>> Fax: 586-4359
>> Mail: State of Hawaii, Clean Air Branch, 2827 Waimano Home Road No. 130, Pearl City, HI 96782
Open-burning violations can carry fines of up to $10,000 per day for each offense.
We’ll add that if you have any doubt about what your neighbor is burning, you might wish to call Hawaii County’s fire dispatch nonemergency line, 961-8336, for more information about general practices in your area.
In the past we’ve had a few callers mistake smoke from an imu (Hawaiian cooking pit) for a dangerous fire. As mentioned, open burning for the cooking of food is allowed. Cooking includes grilling, making swill for pigs and using an imu or smokehouse. We’ve also fielded complaints about agricultural operations that are permitted to burn certain waste.
You seem sure that your neighbor burns household garbage, but we mention this just in case.
Q: Last week during heavy rain some traffic lights went out on Kalanianaole Highway. I came to one and stopped, then proceeded because there was no other traffic coming from either direction. Everyone behind me just stopped and stayed stopped. It was weird. Was I wrong?
A: No, not based on the information you’ve provided. “If a driver comes across a malfunctioning traffic signal, he or she should treat the intersection as a four-way stop. Yield to vehicles that get to the intersection before you do. And if you get there at the same time, yield to the vehicle on your right. Please proceed with caution, as other vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians may not stop,” according to the Honolulu Police Department’s website.
You describe the situation as unusual. Could you have missed some other element of the traffic that day? Perhaps your fellow travelers noticed an ambulance or some other emergency vehicle approaching.
Mahalo
Mahalo to the people who assist mentally ill people we see living on the streets. What a tough job. It must get discouraging. Please keep it up. We need you to succeed. — A reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
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