For the second year running paperless firecrackers — which don't require a $25 Honolulu fireworks permit to buy — dominated first-day fireworks sales on O'ahu yesterday. Fireworks permits purchases are down nearly 30 percent, a city official said.

Eric Kimura, satellite city hall assistant division chief, yesterday said that as of Monday the city had sold 3,546 fireworks permits, compared with 5,001 at this time last year.

Those figures don't include yesterday's permit sales, but Kimura indicated the trend would probably hold through the New Year's Eve celebration.

Kimura said "paperless crackers," as they are referred to, probably account for the drop because they look and sound like traditional firecrackers but don't require a permit because legally they are considered a novelty item.

Last year the number of permits sold dropped for the first time in years, the city said.

Paperless crackers burn cleaner and are essentially as loud as permitted firecrackers. Unlike traditional fireworks, however, they leave no paper residue. Some fireworks proponents, who prefer the traditional fireworks, say the paperless variety don't sound the same and are less explosive.

But many people who were stocking up yesterday hedged their bets and bought some of each.

In Waipahu — a fireworks stronghold every New Year's Eve — Chandler Mattos, 6, rode through the Don Quijote department store in a shopping cart filled to the brim with fireworks.

"We're buying both kinds," said his grandmother, Lydia Fontes of Makakilo. "I brought an expert with me."

Mattos had picked out rockets, fountains and crackers from the "no permit required" section, as well as various types of firecracker rolls and bricks requiring a permit. His grandfather, Kenneth Fontes said he and his wife had purchased four permits for $100, good for 20,000 individual firecrackers.

"We do it for the kids," he said. "My wife likes the fountains. I help set off the big stuff."

Jeff Cagaon, who runs Don Quijote's fireworks store displays, said this year the store is selling permitted and non-permitted fireworks in different sections because some shoppers are still confused by the different categories. Selling them separately makes the process simple, he said.

However, Cassandra Diaz of 'Ewa Beach, was having no trouble understanding the concept. Having bought three fireworks permits, she was carefully calculating how many packages she could purchase on each permit.

"You can get 5,000 firecrackers with each permit, so I'm just trying to figure out what I've got and make sure I've got enough," said Diaz, who said she planned to celebrate with her sons on New Year's Eve while her husband, Army 1st Sgt. Carlos Diaz, is away in Iraq for a 15-month tour of duty.

"The fireworks are all for my kids," she said.

Down the block, at the Pacific Fireworks outlet, paperless and permit-required fireworks were each moving off the shelves. Saleswoman Loni Lindsey said first day sales seemed to be up from opening day a year ago. Everything was selling well, she said, but non-permit fireworks were selling the most.

Pacific Fireworks was divided into various fireworks rooms. For example, the Fountain Room featured everything in the way of flowing flames of sparks with such names as Powder Keg, for $11.77, or the always popular Waikiki Lights, at $29.77.

"Waikiki Lights is our biggest seller," said Lindsey. "You get more bang for your buck. It lasts longer, from five to 10 minutes. It's a fountain that shoots 8 to 10 feet in the air, all around, and with lots of different colors. It's gorgeous. It's my favorite."

Pacific Fireworks even has a table loaded up with those thrilling no-permit-required fireworks from yesteryear: snakes, snappers, and poppers in the 25-cent to $1-per-package range. For $5 it's possible for the frugal pyrotechnics aficionado to walk away with a small bag full of fireworks fun and entertainment.

And fun and entertainment is what it's all about, according to Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig, who said the department is gearing up for what's traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year for firefighters.

"We're expecting it to be as busy as always — but, we're prepared," said Seelig, who asked people to use common sense when handling fireworks. "We're asking that people just stay safe and keep in mind that it's a time to enjoy family and friends, and not a time for having a tragedy happen because of carelessness or risky behavior."

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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