About 200 people who purchased personal permits to ignite fireworks on the Fourth of July apparently were unable to buy firecrackers.
The sole retailer licensed to sell July Fourth fireworks on Oahu sold firecrackers to “30-something” people Thursday, when sales began, before running out of inventory.
Bo Wah Trading Co. owner Danny Au said he keeps fireworks mainly for Chinese cultural celebrations such as birthdays and business grand openings, and he sold out whatever fireworks he had Thursday.
“We don’t have any for sale,” he said. The shop is on Maunakea Street in Chinatown.
| FIREWORKS TONIGHT
Where to see fireworks tonight on Oahu; all events open to the public:
>> Kailua Beach Park, 8 p.m., free, kailuafireworks.net
>> Turtle Bay Resort, 8 p.m., free, turtlebayresort.com/content/july-4th-celebration
>> Ala Moana Beach Park, 8:30 p.m., free, alamoanacenter.com
>> Schofield Barracks, 8:30 p.m., free, hawaii.armymwr.com
>> USS Missouri, 9 p.m., go to ussmissouri.org/picnic for admission prices
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For reasons unclear, the number of retailers licensed to sell fireworks on Oahu for Independence Day dropped to one last year from 30 in 2015. The price of an annual retail license is $500.
An individual pays $25 for a personal fireworks permit for the Fourth of July. According to the Honolulu Fire Department, a single retailer may sell only 5,000 individual firecrackers per permit.
The number of July Fourth fireworks permits issued to individuals has been steadily growing since 2013 and increased this year to 236, compared with 161 in 2016, according to the Honolulu Fire Department. Of the 236 with permits, roughly 85 percent could not find any firecrackers.
Department spokesman Capt. David Jenkins said he’s not surprised if there are complaints this year about the lack of fireworks for individual consumers, because there were complaints last year.
Jenkins said the department regulates the issuance of fireworks permits and licenses but does not control the sale of fireworks.
He said that on the permit itself, the department warns that it does not guarantee there is an inventory of fireworks.
Jenkins said the department recommends people enjoy professional fireworks displays.
Several displays are scheduled on Oahu, including Turtle Bay Resort and Kailua Beach Park, both at 8 p.m.; Magic Island, Ko Olina and Schofield Barracks, all at 8:30 p.m.; and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam at 9 p.m. (open only to Department of Defense ID cardholders and sponsored guests).
The department is reminding those who use personal fireworks that there are a number of prohibitions, such as tossing fireworks from above the first floor of a building and setting them off on public beaches or in forest or wildlife reserves, in school buildings or school grounds, within 500 feet of a hotel and within 1,000 feet of hospitals, health and senior care facilities, and animal care facilities.
