People who have been camping out for days outside satellite city halls find out at 8 a.m. today whether the long days and nights will pay off in the form of coveted permits to camp at city beach parks for the Fourth of July weekend.

It’s an annual Oahu tradition that might change soon because city officials are trying to make more permits available online, including those for camping.

But until then — with the city’s first Furlough Friday coming on July 2 — people wanting July 4 fireworks permits will need to plan ahead this year, city spokesman Bill Brennan said.

"Get your fireworks permits before that Friday, July 2," he said, "because we’ll be closed."

Free permits to camp at 15 beach parks become available two weeks ahead of any date. So the tradition of camping outside satellite city halls occurs two weeks ahead of every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekend.

Merle Misajon, her family and friends have been lining up outside the Wahiawa facility for all but one of the last six years for their large July 4 camping party at Kaiaka Bay Beach Park in Haleiwa.

After six years, Misajon, a single mother of three, was beginning to doubt the wisdom of camping out at the satellite office since Monday night just to get a chance to camp by the beach.

"I’m starting to think it’s not worth it anymore," Misajon said. "I have to work. I have to take care of my kids. It’s too much."

Rob and Claudia Host got in line in Wahiawa only yesterday morning and found themselves behind 12 other groups, knowing that people also were lining up at other city offices across Oahu for permits.

The Hosts hoped to find out this morning whether they will get five of 50 available sites at Bellows Field Beach Park in Waimanalo — one for each of the five people in their waiting party.

"It’s a gamble," Rob Host said. "We’re really tossing the dice. We don’t know what’s going on at the other city halls. We hope there aren’t people in front of us at the other locations who also want Bellows."

But the gamble will be worth it, he said, if they can help Claudia’s boss, real estate agent Linda C. "Dusty" Woodstock, continue her 26-year tradition of a giant Independence Day party at Bellows for 50 friends and co-workers.

"The Fourth of July is the most important holiday of the year," Rob Host said. "It’s the birth of our country."