What with America 250, the 4th on a Saturday, and widespread drought areas, this year’s annual crop of lost limbs, lost homes and lost lives looks to be primed for chaos. Indeed it has already begun:
I am no fan of fireworks, which frighten the neighborhood dogs and keep me awake during the holiday evenings. I get that some folks are into the bang, I suppose. To each their own. But alcohol and typical human carelessness mixed with explosives will… well… cause a lot of mayhem.
So what are the fireworks like in your neck of the woods?
I heard some distant pops last night, but the immediate neighborhood is sane. At least it has been for the last 22 years. Here’s hoping that continues.
A saw a post on Facebook saying “Someone doesn’t realize that these are their last few days with 10 fingers…”
So far nothing going on here in “What; me worry?” Florida Man land. Nary a bang or pop locally. And Google News comes up empty for [florida fireworks accidents 2026].
Has been some official hand-wringing in recent weeks about the risk of wildfires due to our general drought conditions through much of the state. When it’s dry enough around here to set a swamp on fire, you know we’re talkin’ dry.
Here in western North Carolina we have a lot of forested mountain land covered with extremely dry Helene debris. One errant firework and some wind could lead to a nasty conflagration.
It’s insanely hot and dry here (two days of highs of 100F and 1% humidity) so I’m praying to the uncaring semi-deities that people are calmer this year.
Last week, when it was at least a bit more damp, there were occasional snaps or pops, but since the heat just hit, none so far…
I am starting to really feel my age as I clearly remember when it was the 200th living in Brooklyn and all the Johnny pumps being painted red, white and blue. I was 15. Now in Ohio with 3 dogs who are highly strung, fireworks are not cool for dogs, or for limbs, fingers or property in general.
Here in Chicago suburbia, we traded a week of rain for hot and humid so I assume the risk of wildfire is fairly low. Neighbors spent the weekend showing off how much noise they could make. I never really got the allure of the fireworks that just make a loud bang and leave a divot in the ground but they sure must appeal to someone!
We’ll be watching a municipal display on the 4th. Luckily, my sister has a house with a clear site line to golf course where they set it off so we’ll have food, drink, restrooms and AC breaks as needed on what will probably be a sweltering night.
Here in Canada the mayhem will erupt around Canada Day, July 1.
My current neighbourhood seems to have more enthusiasts for exploding objects than any place I’ve lived before. Victoria Day and Canada Day are when they come out in droves with their sizzling explosives.
For some reason Victoria Day has tended to be the worst. I don’t think it’s because anyone cares all that much for a long-dead British monarch. I think it’s because it occurs near the end of May, the spring weather causing all lovers of loud noises to emerge into the outdoors with explosive exuberance. Later, these same assholes will hold loud backyard parties.
But this year, Victoria Day was more peaceful than usual. I like to think that my whining at various authorities may have induced, if not new laws, perhaps better enforcement. There were definitely the sounds of a war zone both front and back of the house, just not as prolonged as in the past, and mostly limited to the actual day when it was allowed.
I can only hope that Canada Day will also be more peaceful than in prior years.
Colton Cissell, 22, is accused of carelessly and illegally storing the fireworks materials that exploded last month, killing two teenagers and a 12-year-old girl.
[9,000 pounds of illegal fireworks seized in St. Louis, Metro East]
I live in a lake community, so they are a near constant presence. They peak for 2-3 days either side of the 4th. Having been on the receiving end of incoming mortar and small arms fire, I fucking hate them. Fortunately for me and the dogs, my ground floor has relatively few windows and reasonably deadens the sound, so the 3 of us camp out in the den for a few days with the TV on loud. I confess to a certain amount of schadenfreude when some drunken redneck gets injured.
Fireworks are not allowed by law in Connecticut for use by non-professional, non-licensed users. Sparklers and fountains, which technically are not considered fireworks, may be sold, but may not legally be sold to, or used by persons younger than 16.
Basically, if it explodes and/or goes flying through the air, they’re not legal. That being said, last year was the first time in several years that people weren’t setting off fireworks all up and down our street. I hope it will be quiet again this year.
I live in Missouri, which has some of the most freewheeling fireworks laws in the country, which has a booming fireworks tourism industry (viz, miscreants coming from Illinois, and, to a lesser extent I suppose, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas), and which spends the most per capita on fireworks. Further, I live in a small town with minimal police presence. Long story short, fireworks are ubiquitous and, though not necessarily cheap, certainly readily available.
I’m going to piss off other Dopers, but I absolutely love fireworks and would set them off every night the week before the 4th if they didn’t cost so damned much. A few of my neighbors already seem to have the same idea. I imagine that, on Saturday night, my street will be covered with that thick haze of lingering fireworks smoke. I love it.
This Friday, my seasonal night job is having an off-season summer BBQ cookout thing, and everybody and their brother is bringing fireworks. I blew $200 on them and am contributing to the fun.
It’s highly unlikely that any fireworks-related shenanigans are going to cause wildfires here. We’ve had plenty of rain and most of Missouri is not within drought conditions. Those counties that are in drought conditions, it’s mild. And it’s been raining for the past few days. As for kids getting injured - well, supervise your damn kids. Just because some parents don’t properly supervise their kids shouldn’t mean that no one gets to play with fireworks. It’s like telling a man he can’t have a steak because a baby might choke on it.
Same here. Someone across the street was lighting off some big boomers last night. We’ve been hearing big booms sporadically for a couple weeks now-- and I mean like real bombs, louder than anything commercially available, I would think. No idea what is actually being set off.
But we see and hear plenty of commercially available fireworks being set off as well. I used to buy the mortar-style fireworks and set them off in our backyard when my kids were younger-- that is, until a mansion next to a lake not far from us burned to the ground from somebody setting off fireworks. That’s when I decided I wasn’t going to push my luck anymore. We also have a local TV weatherman who lost an eye from a fireworks mishap.
Trump is going to have a truly massive display (850,000 fireworks from multiple locations) in DC. While it is being done by professionals, with this huge a display one wonders if things might go wrong:
What a fantastic law! I emailed the Premier of Ontario suggesting exactly this – fireworks are fine in performances managed by licensed professionals in accredited public venues. Not so fine in the back yards of random assholes, which not only disturb the peace of the neighbourhood, but may set fire to neighbouring properties or house roofs.
Those who venture out into public parks to conduct their mayhem are also breaking the law, because at least around here, you need a permit to set off fireworks in a public park.
From the diminished cacophony of the last Victoria Day, I’m optimistic that we may be getting better enforcement of fireworks laws.
