Hilo saw the price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline fall 18 cents yesterday over the previous day, fueling hope that relief at the pump might finally be on the way in Hawai'i.

The decline was more muted in Honolulu, where gas prices have been rising since November 2007, when a gallon of regular unleaded cost $3.08. Prices hit a record $4.39 earlier this week before inching down in the past few days to about $4.38.

Statewide, the average cost of a gallon of gas dipped 2 cents yesterday, to $4.486 from Thursday's $4.507, according to the AAA Web site.

Elaine Beno, a spokeswoman for AAA Hawaii, said it's too early to predict what might happen here, but noted that prices are dropping rapidly across the nation with 39 statewide averages below the $4-a-gallon mark.

Prices in Southern California have been sliding for six weeks. And it all started with pennies at a time, she said.

"In Southern California, it was over a dime this past week and it was a dime the week before, so for the past two weeks, gasoline in Southern California has really dropped like a rock," she said.

In the past month, statewide prices in California have fallen by 33 cents a gallon, to $4.24 yesterday, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.

Big Island residents were surprised and happy to learn about the 18-cent drop in Hilo.

Sally Ancheta of Hilo said she filled her car on Wednesday before prices receded. Still, the drop in Hilo prices was good news to Ancheta, senior program coordinator for the American Lung Association for the island of Hawai'i. With children just starting school and extracurricular activities and a husband in training with the Air National Guard, Ancheta said the rising cost of gas has taken its toll on her finances.

She blamed a recent home burglary on rising fuel and other costs. Someone stole propane tanks from her home, something that had never happened before in their Hilo neighborhood.

"It shows you the desperation of the times," Ancheta said.

Roger Hirako, a farmer in Lalamilo near Waimea, said he was hoping the lower prices would make their way to the area, 60 miles northwest of Hilo where gas was $4.69 yesterday morning.

Hirako said he uses a lot of fuel for farming, but even if gasoline goes down, his other costs have risen so high that he's looking hard at the bottom line.

"Any little bit helps," he said. "But now we're being hit by a lot of transportation freight costs. We just got word from Young Brothers that there's a number of rate increases coming our way."

For Hawai'i, the slight dip in the overall average means people still need to conserve fuel, consolidate their errands and map out where they are going to economize, Beno said.

"I'm sure people are hoping for a trend," she said. "Honolulu is just starting to creep down a bit. ... I cannot predict what will happen in Hawai'i."