New Year’s firecrackers may be ignited between 9 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. Monday, according to city ordinance. This year’s celebration could be loudest in recent years as the count of permits issued has jumped to slightly more than 20,950. That’s 3,800 more permits than last year, and almost double the count from four years ago.

If you do plan to greet 2018 with a boom-bang, HECO advises carefully setting up in an area that’s clear of overhead lines; don’t string firecrackers on utility poles; and ensure a 10-foot clearance from power lines when using ladders or other tools for stringing. If something gets tangled in a power line, call the utility at 1-855-304-1212.

Moving albatrosses from Kauai to Kaena Point

Twenty-one sets of Laysan albatross at Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve are now foster nesting. When the chicks are ready to fly, they’ll return to the North Shore site to nest for the rest of their lives. And that’s precisely why conservationists teamed up with the U.S. Navy last week to move eggs there from Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility, where the large seabirds are an air-strike hazard.

Top-notch foster care is expected as albatross are among the most dedicated parents anywhere. Typically, one sits atop an egg while the other searches for preferred food. That means flying from Hawaii to Alaska and over a 10-day period to fetch cold-water fish for the chick.