Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Fireworks fundamentals: See what’s legal and what’s not in Las Vegas

2015 Fireworks On Independence Day at LINQ

L.E. Baskow

Fireworks amaze the crowds on the Fourth of July over Caesars Palace about the Las Vegas Strip as seen from the Vortex of The LINQ Hotel on Saturday, July 4, 2015.

Alcohol isn’t the only temptation that people wrongly assume is legal everywhere in Las Vegas. During early July, visitors could be forgiven for thinking that fireworks are allowed whenever and wherever. The night sky comes alive in a spectacle of explosions throughout the valley, both before and on Independence Day — and not just from large-scale civic or Strip celebrations.

Yet the vast majority of fireworks are illegal in all but a few small portions of Southern Nevada. Although enforcement is spotty due to manpower limitations, only certain low-powered fireworks can legally be purchased and used. So, what’s out of bounds?

Legal fireworks

Fireworks legally sold in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson are labeled “Safe and Sane,” said Tim Szymanski, public education and information officer for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. “A lot of people are doing it the right way,” he said.

Safe and Sane fireworks are less powerful than their illegal counterparts and are not designed to propel themselves. Examples include snappers and champagne poppers. Snappers are raisin-sized tissue bags filled with small charges that pop upon impact when they are thrown or dropped onto hard surfaces, while champagne poppers propel confetti from a bottle-shaped plastic shell using a tiny charge in the neck of the shell.

Some Safe and Sane items must be lit, however, including sparklers and smoke bombs, which can cause burns if they’re handled while they’re burning or before they cool off after use.

Fireworks From the Linq

Fireworks amaze the crowds over Caesars Palace about the Las Vegas Strip as seen from the Vortex of The LINQ Hotel on Saturday, July 4, 2015. Launch slideshow »

Legal fireworks are sold at booths during the holiday week. The booths are operated and managed by nonprofit groups whose staffs go through specialized safety classes and are required to obtain permits from fire officials, Szymanski said. To obtain the Safe and Sane designation for new types of fireworks, vendors must obtain approval from committees fronted by Southern Nevada’s fire departments.

Instead of leaving children out of the action, Szymanski recommends parents buy party kits sold at grocery stores. They are manufactured by fireworks companies but aren’t explosive, he said. Items include poppers, noisemakers and paper streamers. Glowsticks are also recommended.

What you can't use

You’ll know them by the way they “explode, fly or twirl on the ground uncontrollably,” Szymanski said. That means sky rockets, bottle rockets, M-80s and firecrackers: “AKA those that can cause explosions, rip off extremities — fingers — and (cause substantial) burns,” Szymanski said.

Related calls to Metro Police rise during the run-up to the holiday and spike on July 4, spokeswoman Laura Meltzer said. But the volume of calls is “far more than we have officers available to respond to,” Meltzer said.

That doesn’t mean authorities have given up trying to curtail fireworks, though. One deterrent: Violations carry stiff penalties, including fines of hundreds of dollars and the possibility of a one-day jail stay. Fireworks linked to major blazes can lead to criminal prosecution, Szymanski said, and insurance companies can also try to recover their money through litigation.

Authorities also have made efforts in recent years to educate residents about the restrictions and hazards related to fireworks.

You cannot use fireworks that explode, twirl uncontrollably, fly and are not labeled “Safe and Sane." This includes firecrackers, sky rockets, bottle rockets and M-80s.

Legal vs. illegal areas

It is illegal to use fireworks on or at:

• City, county, state and federal property

• Red Rock Canyon

• Mount Charleston

• Lake Mead

• Parks

• Schools

Penalties for being caught lighting fireworks in such settings are in the $5,000-plus range, Szymanski said.

It also is illegal to transport them into Las Vegas from Nye County and area Native American reservations. The Nevada Highway Patrol has done checkpoints for fireworks, which can explode in car accidents, he said.

If NHP sees illegal fireworks in your possession, they will confiscate them.

Safety

Just because fireworks are dubbed Safe and Sane doesn’t mean they can’t be dangerous. That being the case, only adults should handle fireworks, Szymanski said. Children have been known to get hurt by tearing apart fireworks, enclosing them in bottles and igniting them. Fireworks should be lit from a driveway or paved street at a “considerable distance from anything that can burn,” Szymanski said. And it’s wise to hook up a garden hose and have a shovel and bucket of water on hand. Burned fireworks should be shoveled into the bucket of water and soaked for a couple of hours before they’re trashed. Prior to the holiday week, Szymanksi recommends valley homeowners clean their yards, trim palm trees and over-water vegetation. “It’s usually not the people who are using the illegal fireworks that see damage,” he said.

The city has not seen a major building fire on Independence Day in three years, a sign that firework education is reaching people, Szymanski said.

How to deal with faulty fireworks

Duds are difficult to spot because there are so many factories with different people wrapping the fireworks, said Doug Burda, co-owner of Red Apple Fireworks in Pahrump.

He recommends enthusiasts purchase fireworks from familiar sources that offer money-back guarantees — like his store. Burda said that the cheaper the product, the more likely you are to encounter a dud.

Attempting to relight a firework after it doesn’t spark is also a “safety issue,” he said. He recommends that, if after 15 to 20 seconds a fuse has no effect, you should toss the firework in water for at least 20 minutes and return it to the store or stand and demand a refund.

Pets

More pets go missing on July 4 than any other day of the year, according to Szymanski, as the animals get panicked by the noise and escape from homes, yards or leashes. He recommends pet owners walk their animals early in the day and early in the evening, before the fireworks get intense, and put them in a room with soft music playing. Even if they’re generally kept outside, they should stay indoors overnight. “We’ve seen pets do things (to escape) their owners could never imagine,” he said.

Where to watch fireworks displays

If you’re not feeling pyrotechnic but want to bask in the light of America’s founding, Southern Nevada has options for you.

LAS VEGAS

• The “Fireworks Extravaganza” will go off after the Las Vegas 51s game against the Salt Lake Bees, on July 4, according to the local team.

THE STRIP

• Fireworks displays will accent concerts July 2 and 3 by rock band 311 at Mandalay Bay Beach, according to MGM Resorts International.

• Also on July 3, Caesar’s Palace will launch a 10-minute fireworks display set to begin at 9:10 p.m. The property is celebrating its 50th anniversary and will also stage live entertainment on and near the front fountains, a spokeswoman said.

• On July 4, the Stratosphere will launch a show from the tower beginning at 6 p.m., according to the hotel, which is offering viewing packages.

HENDERSON

• The city of Henderson will host a fireworks display, live entertainment and concessions at Mission Hills Park, 551 E. Mission Drive, from 6 to 9 p.m. July 4, according to the city. Admission is free and the city recommends families to bring blankets to sit on and enjoy the show.

ELSEWHERE

• Fireworks displays and free live entertainment will be available on July 3-4 at the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza.

Costs

• Smoke bombs: 72-pack, under $10

• Saturn Missiles: four-pack, $7; 750-shot kit, $110

• Firecrackers: 100-pack, $3; 16,000-pack, $200

• Butterfly Rockets: six-pack, $5; assortment pack, $80

• Roman candles: 10-ball, $5; party pack, $40

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