Fire-related calls and fireworks injuries marked New Year’s celebrations on Oahu as well as the neighbor islands.
On Maui, firefighters responded to 22 fire-related calls in the 24-hour period from 7:30 a.m. Wednesday on New Year’s Eve to 7:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the Maui Fire Department.
The calls included five brush fires, reported in areas including Napili, Maui Lani and Hana, as well as six rubbish bin or dumpster fires and two vehicle fires. Firefighters also responded to three small vegetation fires and three small fires on residential properties that had already
been extinguished before crews arrived.
In addition, three unauthorized bonfires were reported. Three minor structure fires were also recorded, though officials said damage was minimal and no one was displaced or injured.
The department said it added extra firefighters and apparatus ahead of the holiday, anticipating the annual uptick in fire calls tied to fireworks activity.
Maui police received 118 calls for service related to fireworks violations between New Year’s Eve evening to New Year’s Day morning, across the county, the Maui Police Department reported.
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During that period, officers
issued one citation for an aerial fireworks violation, generated eight reports for documentation purposes, and made two arrests.
The first arrest involved a 27-year-old Lahaina man on suspicion of aerial fireworks violations, operating without a required fireworks license, fireworks penalties, and violations related to House Bill 1483. He was later released pending investigation.
The second arrest stemmed from a fireworks-related incident reported at about 10:57 p.m. on Wednesday. Police said a 35-year-old Kahului man was sitting outside his residence lighting fireworks with juvenile relatives when a suspected illegal aerial firework detonated near his legs. The man suffered an open wound to his shin and was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center with serious injuries, where he remains hospitalized.
Following the incident, a 26-year-old Kahului man was
arrested and charged with first-
degree reckless endangering and fireworks penalties. He was taken into custody at the Wailuku Police Station without incident and later posted bail, which was set at $20,000.
In a separate incident, police said a residence on Puumakani Street in Kahului sustained significant damage to the front and southeast corner of the home,
including a broken window and plastic vinyl fencing, in an incident suspected to involve illegal fireworks. The damage was reported at about 12:30 a.m. on Thursday. No suspects have been identified.
On Oahu, six people were injured in fireworks-related incidents,
officials said. From 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday, Honolulu police responded to 592 calls for service related to fireworks islandwide and
arrested two people for fireworks-related offenses.
Honolulu Fire Department officials reported
two fireworks-related fire incidents overnight, a significant drop from 30 incidents during the same period last year.
Kauai Police Dispatch received 56 calls related to firework violations, no reported injuries.
“Because fireworks are often brief and transient, timely enforcement can be difficult, making public reports essential to keeping the community safe,” Kauai Police Department said in an email to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
As of Friday, fireworks-
related statistics were not immediately available for Hawaii island, although federal authorities are prosecuting two East
Hawaii men accused of importing and distributing large quantities of illegal fireworks in the state.
According to a federal complaint, 52-year-old
Darrel Goo of Keaau and 45-year-old Cy Tamura of Hilo allegedly obtained most of the pyrotechnics from an unnamed business in Prescott, Wis., a city at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers that is home to multiple fireworks companies.
Authorities said the combined weight of fireworks seized after search warrants were served at the men’s residences in August exceeded 37,000 pounds. Both men were arrested and charged with multiple offenses following the searches.
State Department of Law Enforcement Director Mike Lambert told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on New Year’s Eve that Hawaii will continue to closely monitor ports of entry and aggressively pursue fireworks seizures, signaling a tougher enforcement posture heading into future holiday seasons.
Lambert said he supports the idea of a temporary, statewide ban on all fireworks — including firecrackers — for up to five years, arguing that legal fireworks shipments are sometimes used to conceal illegal aerial fireworks. Eliminating all consumer fireworks, he said, could remove opportunities for smuggling.
He emphasized that the proposal is still under discussion, has not been adopted, and would likely face significant public pushback. No formal plan or timeline has been
announced.
