O'ahu firefighters and paramedics responded to fewer New Year's fireworks-related emergencies than a year ago as revelers managed to welcome 2007 with greater safety.

But firefighters, mindful that ample supplies of fireworks had not been used up in overnight celebrations, yesterday braced for a potentially busy Jan. 1.

"We're still on guard," said Capt. Kenison Tejada, Fire Department spokesman, when he announced the statistics yesterday morning. New Year's Day "is just as dangerous as New Year's Eve."

Yesterday afternoon firefighters battled at least two brushfires along the Wai'anae Coast. The most troubling was the third fire in as many days near Makaha Elementary School. All three of the fires are believed to have been caused by fireworks, said Capt. Terry Seelig. About 10 companies and Air 1 were fighting the blaze that came within 400 yards of homes and began at 3:37 p.m., Seelig said.

Earlier yesterday firefighters spent two hours containing a 40-acre brushfire near Ma'ili Elementary School that also was believed to be fireworks related, Seelig said.

"There's a lot of fuel out there," Seelig said. "There are dry conditions ripe for brushfire even though it's wintertime."

There was only one serious burn case during the height of the New Year's revelry, about 12:10 a.m. yesterday in Waimanalo, but the city's Emergency Services Division was not sure how the person who walked into the unit office was injured, said spokesman Bryan Cheplic. The person — not identified by age or sex — was taken to Castle Medical Center in serious but stable condition.

Paramedics treated two other burn victims, both young boys. Fireworks blew up in the hands of a 12-year-old Kalihi Palama boy at 11:49 p.m. Sunday, and a 6-year-old boy burned his fingers in a 12:12 a.m. incident yesterday in Pearl City, Cheplic said.

"It was busy, but it was much milder than last year," he said.

Incidents were scattered across the island, the Fire Department said.

The most serious fire on Sunday was a five-acre brushfire at 1:42 p.m. behind Makaha Elementary School. Eleven companies responded and it was under control in half an hour. It was one of 12 fireworks-related brushfires recorded on the last day of 2006.

Firefighters noted only one building fire, even though the building did not actually catch fire. Someone threw fireworks on the flat roof of a walkway at Kuhio Park Terrace and it looked like a blaze to 911 callers.

"One of the things we're thankful for was that we had no building loss or major fires," Tejada said yesterday morning. "It was kind of a good day."

Firefighters responded to 33 fireworks-related calls on the last day of 2006, which was far less than the 60 fireworks-related calls they had on the last day of 2005.

However, yesterday's Jan. 1 tally of 27 fireworks-related calls went through 10 p.m. There were eight of those calls for all of Jan. 1, 2006.

Overall, "It's much better than last year, but not good enough," Tejada said. "Improvements can still be made."

The Fire Department credited recent wet weather for some of the decline in overnight calls.

"It always helps when the island is wet," Tejada said.

But skies were full of illegal aerial fireworks, always a potential for trouble given their ability to travel, Tejada said. "Some of the brushfires started in remote areas, so we think those were from aerials," he said.

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.