You may have noticed pop-up fireworks stands in your neighborhood selling different varieties. But with the recent dry weather combined with Hurricane Debris, lighting them off could be a hazard.
With New Year’s Eve just one day away, many residents in Southwest Florida are gearing up for their own personal firework shows.
On Friday in Bonita Springs, Kevin Lipscomb of Cape Coral was planning a firework show of his own at a local pop-up stand.
“I just saw it, spontaneous. Kids always like a big boom in the neighborhood.” Lipscomb said.
Despite firefighters urging people to leave the fireworks to the professionals, he’s one of countless setting their own off. So Heather Mazurkiewicz from North Collier Fire District decided to give some safety tips.
“The number 1 thing is we really would like the public to leave the fireworks to the professionals. But we recognize that people still like to do fireworks at home,” Mazurkiewicz said.
With a “very high” fire danger in Lee County and a “high” danger in Collier County… according to the Florida Forest Service, safety is more important now than ever.
“Overall, it’s a high risk, very dry conditions, so we just want to make sure that if you are, you are doing it in as safe of a manner as possible,” Mazurkiewicz said.
That’s why you should light fireworks on concrete, keep your distance from any structures or people, and have water close by.
“It’s really important that people understand that there is no such thing as a “safe” firework.”
That way, people can ring in the New Year without starting a fire.
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