A street party is raucous fun — as long as it takes place in the street. When relocated to close quarters, raucous fun becomes an annoyance — even a danger.

Such is the situation with consumer fireworks in Hawai'i, a love-hate relationship if ever there was one. The issue is especially conflicted on New Year's Eve. A lot of nostalgia and shared cultural history inhabit the noisy practice of setting off firecrackers on that night, with the din of the tiny explosions building to a crescendo at midnight and beyond.

The nostalgia is lost on people who suffer from respiratory illness, or those who wish they didn't have to tranquilize their pets or keep an eye on the fire extinguisher. The indifference to common courtesy was evident during Friday's blackout, when some people around the island set off explosives at a time when first responders were already overextended.

Lawmakers need to reckon with this reality at last and put the safety and health of its citizens first by ending the homegrown pyrotechnics.

It used to be more tolerable than it is now, but that was in the day when far fewer lived on the island. Now the population is around 800,000.

O'ahu residents live in pretty tight quarters and that means the fireworks risk was sure to increase.

The figures from the state Department of Health, published in a Page One report yesterday, bear this out. The department has charted injuries from fireworks, and although there are clear peaks and valleys in the graph, the general trend over the past eight years is clearly up.

Even so, the state lacks the political will to pass what Honolulu firefighters have long demanded: a ban on consumer fireworks.

Once again this year, Hono-lulu Fire Department officials intend to renew their push to make consumer fireworks illegal. It's indefensible how little support they have found to date at the state Capitol.

Tonight, O'ahu is equipped only with permit restrictions, regulations that can't stop the smuggling and use of illegal aerials. For now, it remains up to the practitioners to show some consideration.

New Year's home fireworks are only legal between 9 p.m. on the eve until 1 a.m. tomorrow. There are ways to handle them safely. Check the HFD online tips list by starting at the site map (honolulu.gov/

hfd/sitemap.htm). Then click "New Year's Safety Tips" near the bottom of the page.

Take a moment to think about safety. It's a wise investment of time before resuming holiday merrymaking, ensuring that the New Year gets off to a happy start.

As for the scofflaws: Inconsiderate abuse of a permitted privilege eventually will press even politicians to do the right thing.