Lighting fireworks and sparklers this July 4 may seem harmless, but extreme drought conditions have resulted in new policies that could burn you if you try.
Setting or even possessing fireworks within 5,000 feet of Fort Worth city limits is a Class C misdemeanor with fines of up to $2,000.
In addition, most other local cities have similar restrictions on the use of fireworks, and the Tarrant County Fire Marshal has banned them in all unincorporated areas. Many of the surrounding counties also have enacted fireworks bans due to the dangerously dry conditions.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Check with your local city and/or county for specific laws pertaining to your area.
In the hands of amateurs, fireworks can cause property damage and injuries. Last year, the Fire Department received 1,849 fireworks-related complaint calls the week of July 4 - 1,119 on July 4 alone - and confiscated 432 pounds of fireworks. This was an increase of 7 percent from 2004.
Fire and Police personnel will be on patrol throughout the July 4 holiday period, targeting firework violations. To report a violation, call
817-922-3000.
Do not call 911!
Fireworks shows will be conducted at the following sites:
- July 2-4: Old Fashioned Family Fireworks Picnic with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center (formerly the Fort Worth Botanic Garden), 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd.
- July 4:
Fort Worth Cats, LaGrave Field
- July 4:
Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic and Concert, Fort Worth Stockyards.
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Hot Stats on Fireworks |
- More than 9,500 fireworks injuries are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms annually. Approximately 50 percent occur among those younger than 15 years old.
- Fireworks cause more than 24,000 fires in the United States annually, resulting in an estimated $17 million in property damage. The period surrounding the July 4 holiday accounts for nearly two-thirds of all fireworks related injuries.
- Sparklers, which adults routinely give to children, burn at 1,800 F - a temperature hot enough to melt gold.
The City of Fort Worth urges you to attend one of the many public fireworks displays in the area and leave the fireworks to the pros. |
