Fireworks are significantly more dangerous than many people assume, especially when used at home, and they cause thousands of injuries, fires, and even deaths every year.

Quick Scoop

Fireworks combine explosive energy, extreme heat, and unpredictable behavior, so the risk is real even with “small” items like sparklers. Public, professionally run displays are much safer than do‑it‑yourself shows, especially around children and pets.

How dangerous are fireworks?

  • In recent years, roughly 10,000–15,000 people in the U.S. have needed emergency‑room treatment for fireworks injuries in a single year, with multiple deaths.
  • Hands, fingers, faces, eyes, and ears are the most commonly damaged body parts, and injuries often involve burns, lacerations, and traumatic amputations.
  • Children account for a large share of injuries; in one recent report, about one‑third of ER visits for fireworks injuries were children, with kids 5–9 at especially high risk.

“Safe” fireworks that aren’t

  • Sparklers can burn at about 2,000°F, hot enough to melt some metals, and cause serious burns and eye injuries when treated like toys.
  • Seemingly minor items (firecrackers, bottle rockets, smoke bombs) still show up repeatedly in injury data and can start fires or damage hearing at close range.

Types of harm you don’t see coming

  • Blast and burn injuries: Home users lose fingers, parts of hands, and suffer deep burns every year, sometimes from fireworks that misfire, tip over, or explode prematurely.
  • Eye and ear damage: Debris and shock waves can cause eye trauma and permanent hearing loss, even if you never touch the firework itself.
  • Fires and property loss: Mis-aimed or falling fireworks can ignite roofs, dry grass, vehicles, or trees, especially during hot, dry seasons and fire bans.
  • Smoke and chemical exposure: Fireworks release fine particulates and metals like aluminum, manganese, cadmium, and sometimes lead, which can irritate or harm lungs, especially in people with asthma or other respiratory disease.

What recent stories and forums are saying

  • News reports near major holidays continue to highlight severe injuries, including people losing parts of their hands and suffering facial trauma after mishandling fireworks or trying to light them on their body.
  • Fire safety agencies repeatedly urge people to “let the professionals handle it” because the mix of alcohol, crowds, and explosives reliably leads to preventable tragedies each year.
  • Online forum discussions often echo the same theme: people warning others after seeing or experiencing gruesome accidents, or reminding readers about large fines during burn bans and the importance of fire extinguishers and distance.

If you still plan to use fireworks

While the safest choice is to avoid home fireworks entirely and attend a professional show, some people will still set them off, so harm‑reduction steps matter.

  • Check local laws and fire bans before buying or lighting anything.
  • Keep young children far away; do not let them handle sparklers without very close adult supervision, and avoid any running or horseplay with lit fireworks.
  • Light one device at a time on a flat, stable surface, then move back quickly and never lean over a device to light it.
  • Never relight “duds,” never point or throw fireworks at anyone, and never use them from your hands, head, or body.
  • Have water (bucket or hose) ready, soak used fireworks thoroughly before trashing them, and avoid fireworks entirely if you’ve been drinking or using drugs.
  • Stay out of the smoke plume as much as possible, and consider skipping fireworks if you or family members have lung or heart conditions.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.