Fireworks Regulations & Safety

Be Safe

Fireworks are fun but dangerous. To assist in proving that point, we have gathered necessary statistics of both property and bodily damages from previous years.

Facts & Figures

• In 2005, fireworks caused an estimated 1,800 total structure fires and 700 vehicle fires reported to fire departments. These 2,500 fires resulted in an estimated 60 civilian injuries and $39 million in direct property damage. There were no reported civilian deaths.
• In 2006, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,200 people for fireworks related injuries. 49% of the injuries were to the extremities and 46% were to the head. 55% of the 2006 fireworks injuries were burns, while 30% were contusions and lacerations.
• The risk of fireworks injury was two and a half times as high for children ages 10-14 as for the rest of the general population.
• Between 2001-2005, an estimated 1 person per year was killed in reported fires started by fireworks, while 6 people per year were killed directly by fireworks.
• On Independence Day in a typical year, more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.
• Five states ban the use of fireworks by consumers (DE, MA, NJ, NY, and RI). The other 45 states and the District of Columbia permit some or all consumer fireworks.

Resources

• The American Pyrotechnics Association has compiled a helpful map and directory of state-by-state fireworks control laws.
  • Source: NFPA's Fireworks, by John R. Hall, Jr., May 2008
• Download a report on fireworks (PDF), including tables, figures, fact sheets, safety tips / resources, and other data.

Model Fireworks Law

For more than half a century, NFPA has led the charge to protect the public from injuries and fires resulting from indiscriminate use of fireworks. The International Fire Marshals Association (IFMA) offers a model fireworks law (PDF) which reflects NFPA's zero-tolerance policy on amateur use of fireworks.

Fire Investigation Reports

NFPA Journal® Articles on Fireworks