Oahu emergency crews are getting ready for the fireworks season. And the police and fire departments want to remind you, you need a permit for fireworks or face fines.

In the last three years, police say injuries and property damage caused by fireworks have been increasing and so has the number of calls about illegal use. Last year, Honolulu police got more than 1,200 calls. That's up from 949 calls in 2004 and 567 in 2003. That may sound bad, but police say not necessarily.

"We can't answer these calls for service unless the public reports them to us," says Maj. Kurt Kendro of the Honolulu Police Department. "So part of it has to do with public education as well as knowing what the laws are now."

If you're caught playing without a permit, you could pay $2,000 to $20,000 in fines and possibly jail time.

Permits are only required to buy firecrackers and each permit costs $25. With that, you can get up to 5,000 firecrackers. Permits are available at Oahu satellite city halls.

Fireworks can be purchased beginning Tuesday, Dec. 26 until midnight on New Year's Eve. But you can only set them off from 9pm on New Year's Eve until 1am on New Year's Day.