# Chinese Fire Lanterns - ban 'em or no? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-fire-lanterns-ban-em-or-no/606415 "2011-12-16T15:22:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-fire-lanterns-ban-em-or-no/606415/1 "2011-12-16T15:22:35Z")
New Year is approaching and it’s become a recent tradition to set off [Chinese Fire Lanterns](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_lantern) - also called Sky Lanterns and Kongming Lanterns. I first saw them last New Year’s Eve and was about to stick a cork up my arse to prevent an alien probing, before realising what it was. [They do look very pretty](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKzGv4BSxmg). I was chatting to a farmer (I live out in the sticks) who absolutely hates them, hates anyone who buys them, hates anyone who likes them, wants them banned completely like Germany and Austria. Three stories from the last year on this trend point to why: the [Glastonbury Festival](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-14399692) has called for them to be banned as they [cause cows to die agonising deaths](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2035992/Plea-ban-flying-Chinese-lanterns-cows-killed-them.html) due to eating the metal frame that is left when it descends. Wikipedia states that frameless varieties do exist, but they still cause a fire risk - to the chagrin of [homeowners](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8628686/Latest-fire-caused-by-Chinese-sky-lanterns-increases-calls-for-a-ban.html) and arable farmers alike. There’s also concern from the aviation sector - they travel up to a mile in the air - and the coastguard, as they can be mistaken for distress flares. Ordinarily I like to think twice before calling for knee-jerk legislation banning things, but I can’t really muster a defence for these. Not really a topic for Great Debates, but I want to know what the Dope thinks of the subject. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-fire-lanterns-ban-em-or-no/606415/2 "2011-12-16T18:05:00Z")
As much as I think they’re cool, its kind of a huge fire hazard. Oiled paper and fire flying in the sky doesn’t mix. Probably should ban them. I can’t even think of a safe way to use them ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-fire-lanterns-ban-em-or-no/606415/3 "2011-12-16T21:31:59Z")
Until there’s a safer way to do it, I say ban 'em. 'Course I get nervous about luminarias and they just sit on the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-fire-lanterns-ban-em-or-no/606415/4 "2011-12-16T22:44:15Z")
Are we going to ban model rocket? How about fireworks? I’d say I’m at a much higher risk of my house burning down due to fireworks than fire lanterns. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-fire-lanterns-ban-em-or-no/606415/5 "2011-12-16T23:08:18Z")
The cost of a Cow Magnet is like a buck. If a farmer thinks there is a chance of his animals eating metal he should probably make the investment. That said, I’m not a big fan of banning things, but wind driven floating balls of fire might need a local government to place limits on the time and place of legal use.