Revellers celebrating Halloween tonight have been asked to take care, act responsibly and to think about the environment.
Halloween is the busiest time of year for the emergency services and Dublin's chief fire officer Hugh O'Neill expects this year to be no different.
"Every year, Dublin Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service sees hundreds of lives put at risk because of illegal bonfires and fireworks. Last Halloween we dealt with 727 emergency call outs in a 12-hour period," Mr O'Neill said.
Lord Mayor of Dublin councillor Paddy Bourke has warned of the dangers of fireworks and bonfires and says the damage they cause costs "the city and the fire brigade in excess of €1 million every year in clean-up and rescue operations".
So far this year, 14 children have received hospital treatment for serious injuries caused by fireworks and bangers, and more have been treated by GPs.
In an effort to create a safe environment for young people and families to enjoy Halloween, Dublin City Council is co-ordinating events around the city.
There are free events for primary schoolchildren at City Hall today and tomorrow from 11am to 2pm, including storytelling, face-painting and treasure hunts.
The Otherworld Festival takes place in Ballymun this evening, which is the biggest local community celebration. Events including a fireworks display, a pageant and a street parade begin at 5.30pm.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said that while traditionally wood and straw were used for bonfires, there is now evidence that Halloween is seen as an opportunity to burn domestic waste illegally.
The agency is warning householders and businesses not to supply waste material to people collecting for bonfires as the practice, called backyard burning, is a criminal offence.
Jim Moriarty, a senior EPA environmental enforcement inspector, said people's attitudes towards environmental issues such as this were "alarming".
"People need to understand the environmental health risks of backyard burning. It is the single greatest source of dioxins in Ireland," he said.
