Demand for firecrackers too low for local sellers
No retail permits requested, but there are other ways to celebrate Independence DayBy MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
Fact Box
Fireworks * be legal, be safe
In addition to taking steps to avoid starting fires, fireworks users should know:
* Fireworks may be used from 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
* It is illegal to throw fireworks from a moving vehicle or to remove pyrotechnic contents from packaging.
* It is illegal to set off fireworks on school grounds, within 500 feet of a hotel without a permit for that facility, within 50 feet of a sugar cane field, and within 1,000 feet of health care facilities, animal facilities or buildings in use for public worship.
Maui Electric Co. also recommends:
* Set up and use fireworks in an area clear of overhead power lines.
* Do not string fireworks on utility poles.
* Do not use metal ladders or poles near power lines, and keep such objects at least 10 feet away from power lines.
* If an object becomes tangled in a power line, don't try to free it. Call MECO's trouble line at 871-7777 on Maui or (877) 871-8461 from Molokai or Lanai.
WAILUKU - For the second year in a row, there will be less pop in Maui's Fourth of July celebrations because county retailers will not be selling firecrackers.
"This year, nobody brought in any firecrackers. None, zero. The demand is not there," said Capt. Val Martin of the Maui County Fire Prevention Bureau. "Over the last several years, the demand has really, really dropped over the Fourth of July holiday, but New Year's, it's still a big event."
But there will still be plenty of novelty fireworks, which can still be just as dangerous, Martin said.
"No firework is safe," he added.
But there are ways people can celebrate safely with fireworks, which include keeping an eye on children at all times as well as keeping a bucket of water and a water hose handy, Martin said.
Novelty items such as sparklers and fountains are being sold at stores around the county. Unlike firecrackers, they do not require permits.
Retailers and fireworks vendors have said the demand for firecrackers has gone down since buyers were required to obtain a $25 county permit to purchase firecrackers, as well as the introduction of a "paperless cracker," which is similar to firecrackers but doesn't need a permit.
Beyond the tips to play it safe, Martin recommends that people clear brush around their homes during this dry season.
"The brush can easily be ignited by any of the (fireworks) that is being used," he said.
Martin also said people should prepare an area for fireworks to be lit and make sure it is free of debris and to also water down the area.
Although the novelty fireworks may be labeled "safe and sane," Martin still cautions people who use them. Even sparklers that appear "innocent" can be deadly, he said.
Martin said the lit end of a sparkler is 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit - much higher than the temperature needed to boil water or to bake a chicken (350 degrees).
Another way to play it safe is to leave the fireworks up to the professionals and enjoy a free fireworks show in Lahaina on Saturday, he said.
Fireworks will be shot from a barge off of Front Street. The show is scheduled to begin around 8 p.m., Martin said.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources also is reminding people that drinking and setting off fireworks is prohibited within all state parks, forest reserves, unencumbered lands and small-boat harbors.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
