CONCORD, NH — Homemade fireworks aren’t just for the Fourth of July in many parts of the country, but before you start purchasing pyrotechnics, make sure you know New Hampshire‘s laws on consumer fireworks.
Fireworks have been significantly liberalized over the past two decades. Some types of fireworks are legal everywhere except Massachusetts. Many states also allow the use of fireworks on days either side of the Fourth of July and other major holidays.
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In New Hampshire, here’s what you need to know:
Permitted fireworks, consumer fireworks, and Class C fireworks are permitted in the state. Fireworks shows and displays at entertainment events require permits. Stores that sell fireworks also need approved applications. Residents must be 21 years old to purchase fireworks.
The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal offers the following advice:
How to safely enjoy fireworks
- Read and follow all instructions, caution labels, and warning labels on each pyrotechnic device.
- Never allow children to handle, play with, and/or light any type of fireworks.
- Do not consume alcohol while handling fireworks.
- Use caution when powering aerial devices during high wind conditions.
Always
- Display fireworks in a clear, open area, free of overhead objects.
- Provide a safe distance between buildings and any audience
- Turn on one device at a time
- Have some means of fire extinguishing nearby (fire extinguisher, hose or bucket of water).
- Store fireworks in a cool, dry place and dispose of them properly.
Never
- Extend any part of your body over the top of any device.
- Attempt to relight, tamper with, or repair any fireworks device that has failed to go off.
- Aiming, aiming, throwing, or shooting fireworks at another person
However, the permissive atmosphere around fireworks regulation is not universal. In states that allow consumer fireworks, cities and counties can adopt stricter codes and ordinances. And in conditions of extreme drought or high winds, local firefighters may prohibit the use of fireworks. Three states (Hawaii, Nevada and Wyoming) let each county decide where and what categories of fireworks are legal.
The strictest fireworks laws are in California, according to a map and list of state fireworks laws curated by Reader’s Digest. The law allows a limited period for the use of fireworks, from noon on June 28 to noon on July 6; restricts its use to people over 16 years of age; and also limits the types of fireworks people can buy.
Indiana has some of the most lenient laws. Anyone over 18 years of age can purchase and use fireworks whenever they wish, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on non-holidays and later on holidays. All types of fireworks are legal as long as they comply with the construction and labeling standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
States with stricter fireworks laws have cited data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission showing that thousands of people are injured in fireworks-related accidents each year, with multiple deaths also reported. About 10,200 people were injured and 11 died in fireworks accidents in 2022, according to the latest data available from the CPSC.
Also according to that report:
- Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of 2022 injuries occurred in the weeks before and after the July 4 holiday.
- About 1,300 people were injured by the fireworks and approximately 600 by the flares.
- About 38 percent of people who were injured suffered burns, most often (29 percent) on the hands and fingers, but also on the head, face and ears (19 percent), eyes (16 percent) and the trunk or other part of the body (12 percent).
If you are receiving fireworks to celebrate Independence Day, follow these safety tips:
- Do not let young children play with fireworks, including sparklers.
- Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby so you can put out a fire quickly.
- Light the fireworks one at a time and then quickly back away.
- Never attempt to relight or pick up a firework that has not been lit properly.
- Do not use fireworks if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Fireworks have always been a part of Independence Day celebrations. After the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, that Independence Day “should be solemnized with pomp and parades, with spectacles, games, sports, weapons , bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from now on forever.”
The first Independence Day fireworks show took place on July 4, 1777. Back then, they were all one color, orange, according to the Smithsonian Institution. Today they light up the sky with red, white and blue, the color of the American flag, but also other colors.
At the turn of the century, about a third of fireworks were professional shows, according to Scientific American.
The gradual deregulation of fireworks occurred in part to take advantage of tax revenue lost by residents crossing state lines to purchase fireworks in states with more lenient laws, but also due to lax enforcement.
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