New Fireworks Laws in USA

There has been a massive overhaul of the laws regulating the sale and firing of fireworks in the state of Phoenix, Arizona recently. The Governor, Jan Brewer has created quite a stir as the laws have been changed to avoid the larger counties having a blanket ban on fireworks.

The basics of the new regulations are:

Small counties can limit fireworks sales and use during times of high fire danger.
Fireworks can be sold and only fired within a week-long window around the 4th July and New Year’s Eve.
The cities of Maricopa and Pima counties have been barred from disallowing fireworks.
Fines and penalties for setting off fireworks on preserved lands have been increased.
Tightened limits on the types of fireworks which can be used - No aerial fireworks allowed – that means that there can be no shells or rockets.
Last year, thanks to the tightening of the laws of firework sales/use, there were no reports of injuries from fireworks in 2013.

The regulations for the sale of fireworks in the USA vary from state to state. In fact, in some areas you are not allowed to buy fireworks but you are able to fire them but in the next state along, it may work in reverse where you can buy pyro, you just aren’t allowed to set them off.

However odd we may believe them to be, if you consider that July 4th is in the middle of summertime and more importantly, the temperatures in Arizona daily reach a staggering 94 degrees (we start wilting and moaning at around 80 degrees here in the UK) there are bound to be legitimate worries about the fire risk which under the circumstances is perfectly understandable.

We sincerely hope that these new statutes bring the continued advances in maintaining the safety of the general public and that they can still continue to enjoy fireworks for Independence and New Years celebrations for many years to come.