The American practice of setting off fireworks on July 4 stretches back to the first Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia in 1777. Today, it’s a beloved tradition that almost seems impossible to replace.
But with concerns over air quality, wildfires and supply chains, some cities are doing just that.
This year Salt Lake City is replacing its fireworks with synchronized dancing drone displays to avoid worsening air quality and setting off more wildfires. Boulder, Colo., is switching to drones, too, and Minneapolis is opting for lasers, simply because those technologies have been easier to source than fireworks in recent years.
And as wildfire smoke from Canada again blanketed much of the United States last week, New York City officials debated whether to set off fireworks on the 4th but, as of Monday night, had not called them off.
Across the border, Montreal canceled July 1 Canada Day fireworks, citing poor air quality from the more than 100 wildfires burning across Quebec.
They’re definitely going to compound those existing sources of air pollution,” said Grace Tee Lewis, an epidemiologist at the Environmental Defense Fund who specializes in air pollution and public health.
Fireworks cause a spike in a form of air pollution called particulate matter, the same type of pollution that is elevated from wildfire smoke. While there’s not much research on the risks of fireworks specifically, particulate matter less than 2.5 microns wide (about one-30th the width of a human hair) is known to enter people’s lungs and bloodstreams and cause breathing problems and inflammation. Children, older people and those with existing health conditions like asthma and chronic heart disease should take special care, Dr. Tee Lewis said.
“Watch it from a distance,” she recommended. “The closer you are, the more particulate matter exposure you’re going to have.”
Dr. Tee Lewis added that since the spread of the coronavirus, more people may be more vulnerable to air pollution, especially people suffering from long Covid or heart complications as a result of their infections. For those determined to get their pyrotechnic fix, wearing the same N95 face masks that protect against the virus is one way to protect yourself from smoke and air pollution, she said.
On July 4 and 5, fine particulate matter levels across the country rise by 42 percent on average, according to a 2015 study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Alongside the fireworks party, particulate matter pollution can rise as much as 370 percent.
These levels often exceed what’s allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency for day-to-day outdoor air quality, but local, state and tribal governments are generally allowed to flag one-time events like fireworks, as well as wildfires, as “exceptional events” and avoid officially violating national air standards.
Other countries see similar spikes in air pollution around their own major holidays, said Dian Seidel, an author of the 2015 study and a retired NOAA climate scientist.
Background air pollution from wildfire smoke is certainly something for cities to consider as they plan fireworks or alternative celebrations like drone shows, Dr. Seidel said. “Maybe there are ways not to be a party pooper, but to still have something pretty in the sky to look at, and not cause a big amount of pollution,” she said.
Besides air pollution, fireworks come with other risks. Dogs and other household pets are known to hate July 4, and many humane societies and animal shelters prepare for an influx of lost or runaway pets after the holiday. Fireworks lead to problems for wild animals, too. A 2022 study of wild geese in Europe found that during crucial rest stops on their long migrations, many birds abandoned their sleeping sites on New Year’s Eve.
In 2022, Americans suffered an estimated 10,200 fireworks-related injuries and 11 reported deaths, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Many of the injuries resulted from smaller firecrackers and sparklers set off by people at home, not during large public or commercial shows.
Here's a study on wildland fire causes. I'm wondering what those big human-caused spikes in early July might be–anyone have a guess? pic.twitter.com/EytpF9kufZ
The Fourth of July is no holiday for Max, our youngest dog. It’s not one for me anymore, either, even though it’s my birthday. Fireworks ruin everything when they scare the hell out of those you hold dearest.
Max isn’t alone — not by a stretch. Fireworks sound exactly like “bombs bursting in air,” and they send dogs, cats and other animals into a panic. Some jump over fences or break chains to flee the deafening blasts. Others are so desperate to get away that they crash through windows.
No wonder animal shelters see a significant spike in admissions of lost animals every Independence Day and any other time fireworks go off. It’s anyone’s guess how many remain lost forever.
Fortunately, Max is small enough that he can’t get away from me should he try to run—but his tags are up-to-date and he’s microchipped, just in case. He has a ThunderShirt to help him cope with the stress, and we’ll close the windows and curtains and turn up the TV to muffle the noise. A long walk in the early evening will tire him out.
But companion animals aren’t the only ones terrified by fireworks. The explosions scare deer onto roads, where they’re at risk of being hit by traffic, and frighten birds to the point that they abandon their nests and young.
The harm caused by fireworks doesn’t end there: They trigger more than 19,500 wildfires every year.
Exploding and airborne fireworks pose the greatest threat to lives and homes—animals’ and humans’—but sparklers, fountains and smoke bombs can ignite fires, too. Disoriented by the thick smoke and laboring to breathe, large animals may try to outrun the flames, if there’s time. Small animals may try to shelter under rocks and in burrows. Those with babies might not escape.
Because fireworks are launched at night, the full effects on wild animals are challenging to document. Researchers expect that millions of birds are affected around the world and that the results linger after the smoke has disappeared.
In spring and early summer, when animals like birds and squirrels are nesting or in the early stages of rearing their offspring, the risks are even greater. Babies die of dehydration or starvation when terrified or disorientedanimal parents cannot find their way back to their nests and burrows. These painful deaths are particularly tragic because they are completely avoidable.
Unlike 3D images in graphics, these are physical objects which must be kept from colliding. There’s also a problem of gustiness and wind shifts.
This is awesome!