Artificial devices, normally used for display purposes, which when ignited produce an array of coloured lights, sparks, and explosions; they were known in China by AD 600. They contain flammable and explosive materials (eg charcoal, sulphur) which react with oxygen-yielding substances (eg nitre, chlorate of potash). Government control is very strict on their manufacture and sale to children. The majority of fireworks in the UK are displayed on 5 November to celebrate Guy Fawkes night, commemorating his attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Spectacular displays are very popular in the Far East, and also on major public occasions such as Bastille Day in France and US Independence Day. The making of fireworks is called pyrotechny.
A fireworks event (also called a fireworks display or fireworks show) is a spectacular display of the effects produced by firework devices on various occasions.
History
Fireworks probably originated in China (206 BC–AD 220) and produced the loud sound (known as "bian pao") that was intended to frighten evil spirits.
The discovery of gunpowder and the subsequent invention of true fireworks is also owed to the Chinese. Some scholars say fireworks were developed in the Sui and Tang Dynasties (581–907), but others argue there were no fireworks until the Northern Song Dynasty (10th century).
Amédée-François Frézier published a "Treatise on Fireworks" in 1706.
America's earliest settlers brought their enthusiasm for fireworks to the United States. In 1789, George Washington's inauguration was also accompanied by a fireworks display.
The largest manufacturer and exporter of fireworks in the world is China.
In 2004, Disneyland in Anaheim, California, started using aerial fireworks launched with compressed air rather than gunpowder, the first time that such a launch system was used commercially.
Competitions
L’International des Feux Loto-Québec in Montreal
Today, the world's most prominent industry competition for fireworks manufacturers is L’International des Feux Loto-Québec in Montreal.
Tarragona International Fireworks Displays Competition in Catalonia, Spain
The most important fireworks contest in the Mediterranean area is held every first week of July in Tarragona (Spain), in a wonderful bay -Punta del Miracle-, a place praised by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí.
Macau International Fireworks Display Contest
Held over 5 weeks during September with 2 displays on the same night weekly, with the final night held on China National Day on 1st October.
HSBC Celebration of Light in Vancouver
The HSBC Celebration of Light is an annual musical fireworks competition held every summer over English Bay in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Four companies representing their country perform a twenty-five minute firework display set to music with a grand finale on the last day where all four competitors perform. the competition is cited as being the largest musical fireworks competition in the world.
GlobalFest International Fireworks Competition
GlobalFest has been held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada every August since 2003 featuring cultural pavilions, film festival and international fireworks competition. The international fireworks competition features a different nation each night of the five night competition with live performances on-stage showcasing the culture of that country prior to the fireworks display.
National Pyrotechnics Fair of Tultepec, Mexico
Every year this town, known as "Mexico's Capital of Pyrotechnics," hosts week-long pyrotechnics fair that features the spectacular "Castillos de Torre" or Tower Fireworks Competition.
In addition to the competition fireworks, just about every day different types of fireworks (including day-time tower fireworks) are burned as part of the religious festivities. For those that want a taste of a more exciting and extreme fireworks festivity, nothing else in the world compares to the Burning of the Bulls,which is always held on March 8 in celebration of John of God, the patron saint of Tultepec's pyrotechnicians. That night is now celebrated as Guy Fawkes Night or bonfire night by filling the sky with exploding fireworks, and by burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.
The largest and probably the most impressive annual fireworks display in the UK (and indeed Europe) is however held not in November, but in early September in Edinburgh. Since 1981 the world's largest arts festival has ended each year with a combination of live open air orchestral pieces (performed in the Ross Band Stand, Princes Street Gardens) whilst a panoply of fireworks are launched from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle immediately behind.
Along the same lines, in Canada, during Victoria Day and Canada Day, many fireworks displays are seen throughout.
U.S. Independence Day
Each year before the American Independence Day, the Fourth of July, retailers across the nation experience a surge in fireworks sales.
Independence Day is commonly associated with parades, barbecues, picnics, baseball games, and various other public and private events celebrating the history and traditions of the U.S. Fireworks have been associated with the Fourth of July since 1777. Concerns about safety have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed, but illicit traffic brings some of the more powerful firecrackers in from less restrictive border states.
Some of the most famous fireworks displays include Macy's - 4th of July Fireworks in New York. Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario host one of the largest fireworks displays in the world over the Detroit river each year in celebration of both American Independence Day and Canada Day during the Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival.
New Year's Eve
Major cities around the world host a spectacular firework display on New Year's Eve. Although it is now just a custom to fire off fireworks on New-Year's eve, in the past the idea was to scare 'bad forces' so they would not enter the new year.
In Western Europe the sale of fireworks to the general public is usually restricted to a week before New Year's Eve. However this does not stop people buying a large volume of fireworks in the weeks preceding New Years Eve to be picked up during the selling days.
Lunar New Year
Since the early invention of gunpowder in China, the launching of fireworks and other pyrotechnics has become synomynous with the Lunar New Year festivities. Today, lavish fireworks displays are held at many Chinese cities, including in Hong Kong, where an annual display has been held in the Victoria Harbour on the second day of the first moon in the Chinese calendar since 1982. During the night the houses are adorned with small lit oil lamps and colorful lights and then the entire family participates in the display of fireworks.
Unlike Western nations, retail of fireworks is largely unrestricted in India. In smaller towns, the large temples of the town typically have public fireworks displays. Deepavali brings the spirit of goodwill and brotherhood and is celebrated across all religions in India.some popular fireworks include the famous 'phoolthari' or 'sparkler' which is commonly used in lighting most other fireworks.
Maltese Petards
In Malta, local patron saints' holidays are usually celebrated with spectacular fireworks and bombs called petards or murtali in Maltese. In the opinion of many fireworks artists, Malta is one of the best places in the world for the manufacture of fireworks. The 'Malta International Fireworks Festival', held annually at the end of April in the Valletta Grand Harbour, is a fireworks competition open to all pyrotechnic manufacturers of the world. The great extent of Maltese talent, however, is most evident during summer and spring, during which many cities and villages celebrate the feasts of their patron saints and local artists produce their best fireworks. Each August the PGI conducts its annual week-long convention, where some the world's biggest and best fireworks displays occur. Aside from the nightly firework shows, the competition is a highlight of the convention. This is a completely unique event where individual classes of hand-built fireworks are competitively judged, ranging from simple fireworks rockets to extremely large and comlpex aerial shells. Some of the biggest, best, most intricate fireworks displays in the United States take place during the convention week.
Amateur and professional members can come to the convention to purchase fireworks, paper goods, novelty items, non-explosive chemical components and much more at the PGI trade show. Before the nightly fireworks displays and competitions, club members have a chance to enjoy open shooting of any and all legal consumer or professional grade fireworks, as well as testing and display of hand-built fireworks. The week ends with the Grand Public Display on Friday night, which gives the chosen display company a chance to strut their stuff in front of some of the world's biggest fireworks aficionados.
Halloween
In Ireland (both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), during the Halloween season, there are many spectacular fireworks displays. The sale of fireworks is restricted in the Republic of Ireland, though many illegal fireworks are sold throughout October or smuggled over the Northern Ireland border.
Types
Popular types of fireworks are listed below. There are two general categories of fireworks commonly sold in the United States today, and are listed below.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) as well as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have general jurisdiction over what types of fireworks may be legally sold in the United States. Citing concerns over fireworks safety, some states, such as California, have enacted legislation restricting fireworks usage to devices that do not leave the ground, such as fountains, while states such as New York and Delaware ban all consumer fireworks completely. On the other hand, states such as South Carolina allow most or all legal consumer fireworks to be sold and used throughout the year.
Differences in legislation among states have led many fireworks dealers to set up shop along state borders in order to attract customers from neighboring states where fireworks are restricted.
The type of fireworks sold in the United States vary widely, from fireworks which are legal under federal law, all the way to illegal explosive devices/professional fireworks that are sold on the black market. The types fireworks sold at retail stands and stores include, but are not limited to:
Consumer Fireworks (1.4G, UN0336)
reloadable aerial shells 1-3/4" or less sold in a box with not more than 12 shells and one launching tube single-shot aerial tubes bottle rockets skyrockets and missiles ground spinners, pinwheels and helicopters flares & fountains roman candles smoke and novelty items multi-shot aerial devices, or "cakes" Firecracker packs (see this link for various brand/label images) sparklersDisplay Fireworks (1.3G, UN0335)
The following devices are for professional use and only available with a BATFE license/permit:
any ground salute device with over 50 milligrams of explosive composition torpedoes (except for railroad signaling use) multi-tube devices containing over 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition and without 1/2" space between each tube any multiple tube fountains with over 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition and without 1/2" space between each tube any reloadable aerial shells over 1.75" diameter display shells any single-shot or reloadable aerial shell/mine/comet/tube with over 60 grams of pyrotechnic composition any Roman candle or rocket with over 20 grams of pyrotechnic composition any aerial salute with over 130 milligrams of explosive composition
Legality Note: Current federal law states that (without appropriate BATFE license/permit) the possession or sale of any display/professional fireworks is a felony punishable by up to 10 years
in prison.
Laws and politics
Safety of consumer fireworks in USA
Availability and use of consumer fireworks are hotly debated topics. Critics and safety advocates point to the numerous injuries and accidental fires that are attributed to fireworks as justification for banning or at least severely restricting access to fireworks.
Meanwhile, those who support more liberal firework laws look at the same statistics as the critics and conclude that, when used properly, consumer fireworks are a safer form of recreation than riding bicycles or playing soccer.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has guidelines concerning the standard of consumer fireworks sold in the US. Together with US Customs, they are very proactive in enforcing these rules, intercepting imported fireworks that don't comply and issuing recalls on unacceptable consumer fireworks that are found to have "slipped through". Bureau of Arms Tobacco Firearms (ATF) is the agency that governs all 1.3G Display Fireworks in the US.
Many states in the United States have laws which further restrict access to and use of consumer fireworks, and some of these states vigorously enforce them.
In 1998, a non-profit organisation called AFSL American Fireworks Safety Laboratory was established to develop a voluntary fireworks standard for the US to which members would adhere.
Safety of commercial and display fireworks in Canada
Fireworks safety is considered to be extremely important in Canada.
Setup of these fireworks involves the placement and securing of mortars on wooden or wire racks;
Since commercial-grade fireworks are so much larger and more powerful, setup and firing crews are always under great pressure to ensure they safely set up, fire and clean up after a show.
Pollution
Fireworks produce smoke and dust that contain heavy metals, sulfur-coal compounds and other toxic chemicals. These by-products of fireworks combustion will vary depending on the mix of ingredients of a particular firework.
Pollutants from fireworks raise concerns because of potential health risks associated with hazardous by-products. Environmental pollution is also a concern because heavy metals and other chemicals from fireworks can contaminate water supplies and because fireworks combustion gases might contribute to such things as acid rain which can cause vegetation and even property damage. Concerns over pollution, consumer safety, and debris have restricted the sale and use of consumer fireworks in many countries.
Fireworks supporters in contrast argue that alleged concern over pollution from fireworks constitutes a red herring, since the amount of contamination from fireworks is miniscule in comparison to emissions from sources such as the burning of fossil fuels. In the US some states and local governments restrict the use of fireworks in accordance with the Clean Air Act which allows laws relating to the prevention and control of outdoor air pollution to be enacted.
Laws governing consumer fireworks
Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island are US states in which consumer fireworks may neither be sold nor used.
In other states, there is a wide variety in what types of fireworks are legal, what time of year they may be sold, and what time of year they may be set off.
Las Vegas fireworks laws: Explosive fireworks are not allowed (roman candles) only nonexplosives, and can only be used during 4th of July.
Licensing for fireworks in the United Kingdom. Fireworks cannot be sold to people under the age of 18 and setting them off between 11pm and 7am is only allowed at specific times of the year, including New Year and bonfire night.
In New Zealand, fireworks cannot be sold to persons under the age of 14, and may only be purchased during Guy Fawkes celebrations (officially 27 October - 5 November). Due to the high rate of fireworks related incidents in the 2005 Guy Fawkes celebrations, the outcome of the 2006 celebrations will dictate as to whether the government will attempt to put in place a full consumer fireworks ban in 2007, or implement a higher age restriction.
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