4th of July Fireworks: What's Legal In Wauwatosa

WAUWATOSA, WI — Fourth of July is coming up soon and some people will plan on holding their own private fireworks shows before, during or after the date. However, those looking to set off their own pyrotechnics displays should check the laws before doing so.

Wisconsin law states that possessing or using fireworks that explode or fly off the ground is illegal without a permit, per Wisconsin Statute 167.10. However, cities, villages and towns can write their own fireworks laws and choose whether or not to issue users permits to people.

The City of Wauwatosa says that no person shall possess or use fireworks without a user's permit, according to ordinance 14.32.030. This includes fireworks, caps, sparklers and snakes. No one is allowed to sell any of these items either.

The common council can issue a fireworks user permit for festivals or celebrations after filling an out an application to the city clerk, according to ordinance section 14.32.040. People can use fireworks, caps, sparklers and snakes in a city park or at a fireworks display if they have a permit.

See also: How To Keep People And Pets Safe During 4th Of July Fireworks

Massachusetts is the only state where fireworks are completely banned aside from professional displays, according to a May report from Reader’s Digest. Illinois, Ohio and Vermont have the next-strictest laws in 2021, the report said.

Indiana — which lies between Illinois and Ohio — has among the most lenient fireworks laws.

Kris Zambo, owner of Dynamite Fireworks in Hammond, Indiana, told Patch in 2018 that a law passed in the mid-2000s essentially made fireworks “wide open” in the Hoosier State. His store’s proximity to the Illinois border allowed the family to turn a side business selling fireworks into a permanent store, drawing droves of cars from Illinois.

See also: 4th Of July Fireworks 2021 Near Wauwatosa “About 80 percent of our customers come from Illinois,” Zambo told Patch.

Dynamite Fireworks is one of many northwest Indiana fireworks stores that beckon Illinois consumers to cross the border with gaudy billboards promising the biggest bang for the buck. The region has gained a reputation as the unofficial fireworks capital of America, with more than 100 consumer-grade fireworks retailers.

Related On Patch: Fireworks On The Down-Low: Indiana Retailers Do Booming Business

States with stricter fireworks laws have cited data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that shows thousands of people are injured in fireworks-related injuries every year, with multiple deaths reported as well. In 2019, about 10,000 fireworks injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms. Fireworks-related deaths totaled 12 in that year, according to the commission.

The commission has stated fuses on fireworks need to burn somewhere between three seconds and nine seconds to be safe and legal. Legal fireworks can also have no more than 50 milligrams of pyrotechnic composition to be legal, the commission said.

Fireworks celebrations in America date back to 1777, when the first 4th of July celebration occurred. Oddly enough, there were no red, white and blue fireworks to mark the one-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Fireworks came in only one color — orange — back then, according to the Smithsonian Institution.