The wet weather and perhaps the weak economy put a damper on fireworks-related incidents in Honolulu this New Year's.

Fireworks-related incidents in Honolulu were less than half of what they were the year before during the three days surrounding the New Year — Tuesday, Wednesday and through 9 a.m. today, said fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

This year, there were 24 probable fireworks-related incidents, including two minor brush fires, with most happening on New Year's Eve, Seelig said. Most of the fireworks-related fires were rubbish or trash bin fires.

Last year, there were 57 incidents, including four brush fires related to fireworks. In 2006, there were 61 fireworks-related incidents.

"Typically, these three days are busier than usual," Seelig said today. "The number of fires and those probably fireworks related were way down. It could be because the public got our message about safety, or the weather made a difference."

While overall fireworks activity was down on New Year's Eve, there were more illegal aerial fireworks displays this year, Seelig said.

Aerial fireworks are illegal in Hawai'i except in professional, sanctioned displays.

The two brush fires, in Hawai'i Kai and Wai'anae, were put out within 15 minutes, Seelig said.

"The weather contributed to not having brush fires," Seelig said. "The brush is so damp that it helped control the fires."

Injuries related to New Year's fireworks also were down this year.

Spokesman Bryan Cheplic said the city's Emergency Services Department received four calls for fireworks-related burns overnight.

Three burn victims, one on the Windward side, and two in Honolulu, were taken to local hospitals in stable condition.

"Burn injuries were surprisingly slow this year," said Cheplic.

The number of fireworks permits purchased on O'ahu was down nearly 26 percent from a year ago, the fire department reported.

There were 6,924 permits sold at satellite city halls, Honolulu Hale and Kapolei by the close of business yesterday, compared with 9,219 in 2007.

That extended a trend of declining sales since 2006. From a peak of 13,979 permits in 2005, 10,960 permits were sold in 2006.