Hong Kong urges grave-sweepers to prevent hill fires during重阳 festival
Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department warns grave-sweepers to avoid hill fires during the重阳 festival. Offenders face fines up to HK$25,000 and one year in jail. Patrols and fire-prevention leaflets will be deployed.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has called on grave-sweepers to be vigilant against hill fires during the重阳 (Chung Yeung) festival. An AFCD spokesman stated that under the Forests and Countryside Ordinance (Cap. 96), anyone who leaves a fire source or burns paper offerings carelessly in the countryside may be prosecuted. Upon conviction, offenders face a maximum fine of HK$25,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.
During the重阳 period, AFCD staff will step up patrols in rural cemeteries and take enforcement action if violations are found. Most hill fires in the countryside are caused by human negligence, the spokesman noted. Grave-sweepers can avoid such accidents by following simple guidelines: use tools to clear weeds instead of burning them; burn candles and paper offerings in a designated burner or iron bucket; never leave burning offerings unattended; and ensure all fires are extinguished before leaving the grave site.
To assist the public, AFCD will distribute iron buckets for burning paper offerings at suitable locations in country parks during the festival. The department will also patrol and distribute fire-prevention leaflets at multiple hill-fire black spots together with members of the Civil Aid Service. The spokesman reminded the public to properly dispose of any offerings and rubbish brought to the sites, keeping the countryside clean. The appeal was issued on Monday, 5 October 2026, at 11:00 Hong Kong time.