Firework displays usually leave audiences “oohing” and “ahhing,” but fire officials are warning Marylanders that illegal fireworks can lead to injury, fire, fines or jail time.
“Illegal fireworks can bring a tragic end to an otherwise happy family event,” State Fire Marshal William Barnard said in a statement.
There are more than 100 licensed public firework displays across Maryland, but the legal sale and possession of fireworks varies across the state.
“People say that the Maryland firework laws are confusing, but they?re not,” said W. Faron Taylor, deputy state fire marshal.
“It?s simple if you just buy the fireworks in the same jurisdiction you?re going to use them, because what?s legal in one place may not be in another,” Taylor said.
Baltimore City has outlawed all fireworks, but Anne Arundel, Carroll and Baltimore counties allow the use and sale of hand-held sparklers, novelty items, such as party-poppers and ground-based fireworks, which remain motionless on the ground and emit a shower of sparks.
Hand-held sparklers and novelty items are allowed in Howard and Harford counties, but ground-based fireworks are illegal.
Just because a device is legal, however, does not mean it is safe, Taylor said.
“The main concern is quality control in these devices. The manufacturing is very questionable,” Taylor said. “Some devices may take minutes to explode while other go off in the blink of an eye, you just never know what you?re going to get.”
Hand, arm and eye injuries or burns often result from poorly manufactured or improperly ignited fireworks, Taylor said.
The number of firework-related injury reports is very low, but, Taylor said, this can be attributed to the limited availability of fireworks during the year, except around July 4, and a reluctance of victims to report injury for fear of legal ramifications.
Certain fireworks, such as bottle rockets and Roman candles, are illegal across the state and can result in fines up to $250.
Possession of explosive devices not classified as fireworks, such as “M-100s,” a small dynamite-like explosive, is a felony in Maryland and is punishable by imprisonment or fines of up to $250,000.
