Citing fire safety concerns, Mayor Rick Blangiardi vetoed the Honolulu City Council’s Bill 22 to make “consumer fireworks” such as ground-level fountains and sparklers legal to buy and sell on designated dates, such as New Year’s Eve or July Fourth.

Blangiardi has the Honolulu Fire Department on his side, as HFD opposed the bill. However, many Honolulu residents have fond memories of setting off sparklers and glowing fountains with family before they were banned in 2011; Bill 22 would leave today’s aerial fireworks ban intact. The City Council will no doubt gauge public sentiment in deciding whether to override the veto.