Should We Have Fireworks this year?

Especially in the West like Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and other fire dangers, I think we can do without fireworks. I mean, there are other ways to celebrate the holiday. It is just too dry to risk fires.

The governor has banned all "personal" fireworks in Colorado this year. There are quite a few communities who have canceled their big displays, especially the ones in the mountains. Here in the Metro area many of the displays are still going on. Boulder had a pretty good idea, though. They canceled their big display at Folsom Field (CU's football field) and are doing a laser lights show instead.

Personal fireworks have been against the law in PA for quite a few years, although some people manage to get them anyway. I can't believe any community in Colorado or Arizona would even think of taking the chance! All it takes is a spark on a dry twig. I think the Boulder idea is great. I can almost hear the 1812 Overture during the finale. All you need is music to fill in the sound of the explosion! Then the kids (and all of us big kids) do not have to be disappointed!

Personal fireworks are banned in most incorporated areas, but in unincorporated areas you can usually have the ones that don't leave the ground or just explode, like sparklers and fountains.

The sad thing is that there will be some stupid idiot who just can't celebrate the 4th without shooting off his own, and will burn down the other half of the state. Personal fireworks of all types are legal in Wyoming, a 2 hour drive from here. Well, except Laramie County (where Cheyenne is) has banned fireworks for their county. So the fireworks sellers in Wyoming can't sell to anyone with Laramie County license plates (they have counties designated by number on their plates so it is easy to tell), but they can still sell to Colorado residents even though it is banned in the entire state here. Commerce at its finest.

I like the laser light idea. I wish Salt Lake is like that!

In Minnesota, where I live personal fireworks were illegal for many years. Starting this year they are legal again. People have been shooting them off for the last few weeks but we don't have dry conditions to worry about. I don't think there should be any fireworks at all out west where conditions are so dry. Laser lights would be much better.

Personal fireworks are illegal in Arizona. However, the fireworks-started fires are caused by idiots, who just have to do it. Our city's display is fired from a mountain, on the western edge of the city. The fire dept. goes up there and soaks it and they have pumpers and tankers up there. Usually, if the mountain catches fire, its because of the fire deopt. The first year that it was held there, one of the pumpers was pulled off the road, into some brush. The catalytic converter set the brush on fire. Most of the displays, in our valley have been cancelled. The county has the city's permit on hold. There will be a display at the ballpark. We won't know until the last minute about the city's display.

I wish personal fireworks could be outlawed in the UK. Around Guy Fawkes night (Nov 05), we usually have about 3 weeks worth of fireworks starting sometime toward the end of October.

Don't get me wrong - I love fireworks, they can be very beautiful as I recently witnessed during the Golden Jubilee celebrations. But what gets me is that anyone (even kids) can buy fireworks, and they let them off indiscriminately over an extended period of time.

This terrifies my cats, and many other animals - especially those living wild.

I won't even begin to mention my friend's cat, who had a firework tied to it's tail by local yobs and only just escaped with it's life.

I think there is an arguement for organised displays - and although the UK doesn't have the fire hazard concerns of drier climates, there are plenty other reasons for not having fireworks on general sale.

JMHO.

Yola

I think fireworks should be banned only in states where there is the potential for them starting a fire in forests. Otherwise, I think that we should be able to enjoy them. Fireworks are illegal in Illinois, except for the ones that stay on the ground.

Its official: ALL fireworks displays are cancelled, here. This is the first time, ever. I understand the reason but I'm still disappointed. I LOVE fireworks.

I believe that where there is a chance for fire, the fireworks should be canceled. Here, in Cleveland, we have to worry about winds off the lake. 2 or 3 years ago, it became so windy during the city's fireworks show that embers were falling onto the crowd (which is kept far from where they were set off). They ended up stopping the display just before the finale. So, the next year, they had a full fireworks display PLUS the finale of the previous year. Maybe cities in Colorado and Arizona can have two displays next year?

I do agree with most of you all ! If there is to much danger for the environment , then no fireworks ! I do not like fireworks very much ; the noise has scared me since I was a child ... ! It is not that worse anymore now , but I still do not like it .
But I agree , IT IS BEAUTIFUL !!!!

I think it depends on where you live....we went and bought a whole bunch of fireworks for the 4th, to take to our annual family 4th celebration, but we are going to be very very careful.