Hawaii County’s Windward Planning Commission voted 4-1 to approve a special permit allowing the Falls on Fire festival to continue annually in Papaikou near Hilo. The four-day event is planned for a 14.7-acre portion of a 1,419-acre property owned by Andrew Tepper through Teppy Mountain LLC. The festival includes camping, music, art installations, and a final burning of a large wooden effigy. Falls on Fire became controversial in 2023 after organizers held the event without permits following the Lahaina wildfires. In 2024 and 2025, concerns were raised about wildfire risk, cultural impacts, and use of agriculture-zoned land. Tepper later admitted refusing county inspectors access during the event, leading to cease-and-desist orders, notices of violation, and $34,000 in fines. Neighbors sought a contested case hearing citing noise, road impacts, and effects on cacao farming.
"Hawaii County's Windward Planning Commission voted 4-1 to approve the special permit allowing the controversial Falls on Fire festival to continue annually in the quiet farming town of Papaikou, near Hilo. The permit approves a four-day annual event held on a 14.7-acre portion of a larger 1,419-acre property and featuring camping, music, art installations and culminating in the burning of a large wooden effigy."
"Falls on Fire first became a point of contention in 2023, when organizers held the event without permits just months after the Lahaina wildfires devastated Maui. Ahead of the festival's return in 2024, locals, environmentalists and public officials raised concerns about wildfire risk, cultural impacts and the use of agriculture-zoned land for a large festival."
"Tepper applied for one in September 2024, but still held the festival later that November without permit approval, and again in 2025; he later admitted to refusing to allow county inspectors onto his property during the event. The events prompted cease-and-desist orders, several notices of violation and eventually $34,000 in fines."
"Some of Tepper's neighbors also filed for a contested case hearing against the permit, citing complaints of excessive noise, potential impacts to local roads and impacts to their cacao farm. This led to a formal fact-fi"
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