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Mike Lambert hears fewer illegal fireworks explosions in his suburb Honolulu On New Year’s Eve last year, a series of bombings at a house party killed six people, including a 3-year-old boy.
as director hawaiiLambert wondered whether the tragedy sparked a shift in Hawaii residents’ tendency to set off illegal fireworks. In some communities, loud roars can be heard at any time of the day or night – whether it’s a sporting event, celebration or for no apparent reason.
But Lambert warned that this year, authorities would impose stricter laws in the wake of the tragedy and would issue fines to violators.
“We’re not under the illusion that there’s going to be a tragedy on New Year’s Day, that you can sign a law in July and then nothing happens the next year,” he said. Still, he expects some people will decide not to set off fireworks, either because of last year’s fatal accident or because of increased enforcement and new laws.
“Before, you could set off fireworks with impunity,” said state Rep. Scot Matayoshi, the author of two of the five anti-fireworks bills. “Everyone knows they’re not going to beat you.”
police Those who set off fireworks can now be issued $300 fines, while repeat offenders and those whose actions cause serious injury or death could be jailed on felony charges.
Matayoshi said he began working on the legislation the morning after the tragedy. The tragedy occurred during New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2025 when boxes containing illegal fireworks overturned and ignited in the community of Aliamanu, lighting up the sky in a series of horrific explosions and causing serious burns to more than a dozen people.
“It had a big impact on me,” Matayoshi said. “I can’t imagine having a bomb in my neighbor’s house that could explode and hurt and kill my children.”
None of the 12 people arrested have been charged with a crime. Honolulu police said they are working with prosecutors to seek charges.
Lambert said an amnesty event last month, in which people turned in 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of illegal fireworks, was a hopeful sign. His department has also increased searches at all ports, noting that illegal fireworks shipped to Hawaii are often linked to organized crime.
As of earlier this month, Honolulu police said they had issued 10 fireworks tickets. That number is an improvement from zero in past years, Matayoshi said. He expects that number to jump significantly on New Year’s Eve.
firecracker Ringing in the New Year has always been popular in Hawaii, but about a decade ago professional-grade antennas began to become common.
“The fireworks you see were originally set off at events like stadiums and hotels,” Lambert said. The fireworks had a blast radius of 900 feet (274 meters) but exploded in densely populated neighborhoods where homes are often only a few feet apart, he said.
Veteran Simeon Rojas grew up in Oahu In the 1980s and 1990s, they liked to set off firecrackers and light fireworks on New Year’s Eve. He considers fireworks to be part of local culture and tradition.
But when fireworks suddenly went off at his home in Honolulu’s Kalihi Valley, “it really shook my heart,” he said. It also triggered the post-traumatic stress disorder he suffered from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It brings back memories for me,” he said. “I stayed with my wife and kids on New Year’s Eve, so I felt safe.”