HONOLULU (KHON2) — Now that Christmas is almost over, many are planning for New Year’s and in Hawaii, that means firecrackers, which go on sale Thursday on Oahu.
It’s all quiet at Pacific Fireworks now, and the silence is deafening.
“We usually get phone calls, but it’s unusual, I mean, we’re getting a high volume of calls this year,” said Dino Alexakaos, Pacific Fireworks owner.
They’re one of the retailers for firecrackers in the state and they’re expecting a boom in the next few days.
“Hawaii people love their fireworks and I, and I can’t even tell you, they call up about the firecrackers,” said Alexakaos. “Then they go, okay, where can we get the smoke balls and the sparklers? And then I keep telling them over and over that those aren’t allowed on this island.”
In fact, all counties remind the community that all aerial fireworks are illegal in Hawaii and so is setting off firecrackers on public property including streets, sidewalks, or parks.
Officials recommend firecrackers be lit on flat surfaces, away from buildings, dry vegetation and flammable materials.
“Practice safety, just light the fuse and get away, try not to hold them in your hand, just lay out the firecrackers, light the fuse and get away,” said Alexakaos.
There is a limit to 5,000 firecrackers for each permit.
“The 20,000 is 4,582 crackers, which you could buy one and you have about 400 extra crackers,” said Alexakaos. “We have these little packs that you can combine to get the maximum out of your permit.”
In Honolulu, fireworks sales don’t start until December 26th.
At Pacific Fireworks, they’re having a midnight madness special so they’ll be available from midnight until three in the morning.
“We’re sitting on a good inventory,” said Alexakaos. “You know, only tomorrow will tell how it goes, but I think we should be good for the week, but I would tell everybody not to wait until the last minute. I mean, if you don’t make it in tomorrow, that’s fine. We won’t be running out, but I wouldn’t wait until December 31st.”
Firecrackers can only be set off from 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m. New Year’s Day.
If you want to report any illegal use of fireworks, you can report them anonymously via phone, online or the state’s safer-watch app.
“Safety is the best policy to tell the truth and we want everybody to have a safe and happy new year,” said Alexakaos.
To report illegal fireworks:
State’s Department of Law Enforcement anonymous tip line
808-517-2182
or DLE’s Saferwatch App