National Fireworks News

Fireworks shows need new environmental review

2011-05-29T03:15:00.000-07:00

Court ruling could have sweeping impact

By Mike Lee and Christopher Cadelago
Originally published 2:06 p.m., May 27, 2011, updated 4:02 p.m., May 27, 2011

PEGGY PEATTIE
Fireworks shows are among thousands of events in San Diego each year that need environmental review under a Superior Court ruling on Friday.

What started as a battle over fireworks shows led to a sweeping legal victory Friday for environmentalists that could stymie a wide range of events needing city permits, from the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon to birthday parties held at parks.

“According to the strictest interpretation of this, jumpy-jumps and everything else would be subject to environmental review if this ruling stands,” said lawyer Robert Howard, who represented the La Jolla Community Fireworks Foundation in the case. “It’s a breathtaking ruling.”

California Environmental Quality Act

• The statute requires state and local agencies to identify significant environmental impacts of their actions and avoid or mitigate them, if feasible.

• Its origin can be traced to passage of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The next year, the state Legislature passed its own version and Gov. Ronald Reagan signed it.

• Projects that need discretionary governmental approval and could have an environmental impact generally require review under the law, unless an exemption applies.

• Public agencies are entrusted with compliance, which is enforced by the public through litigation.

Source: California Natural Resources Agency

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Fireworks debate flares in Chula Vista

Superior Court Judge Linda Quinn said La Jolla’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show requires evaluation under the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.

The case, filed by the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation in Encinitas, targeted San Diego’s approval of the La Jolla event but eventually drew in a broad swath of city permits. San Diego officials said they issue about 400 special-events permits annually, along with up to 20,000 park-use permits for smaller-scale gatherings — most of which would now need environmental assessment.

“San Diego issues thousands of these simple park-use permits over the counter with the only consideration being space, just as other cities do across the state,” said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith. “Existing law has never been interpreted to require a CEQA review for this. ... This decision opens the door to absurd results. This is the reason appellate courts exist and we plan to ask for their help.”

Even before the judge’s ruling was finalized, Chula Vista officials on Thursday pulled the plug on their July Fourth show in the face of funding shortfalls and environmental challenges.

The future of La Jolla’s event was fuzzy Friday. Organizers likely can’t complete the time-intensive and costly CEQA analysis by July 4, but Howard said he would ask the court to allow this year’s event while the case is appealed.

City Councilwoman Sherri Lightner, whose district includes La Jolla, said she hoped to find a solution. “We have to strike a balance that protects the environment but also allows our finest traditions to continue,” she said.

On Tuesday, the City Council ratified a long-standing city policy of exempting fireworks shows from special-events permits unless food or alcohol is sold. It was an attempt to shield pyrotechnics from environmental challenges, but Friday’s decision means CEQA still applies.

Environmental impact reports can take a year and cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“Does that mean every event has to get a full environmental impact report? No, but it means that the city has to undertake the burden and applicants have to undertake the cost” of a lower-level CEQA analysis, Howard said.

He said some “events” such as temporary Christmas tree stands have existing exemptions under the law, but many others don’t.

Alex Roth, a spokesman for Mayor Jerry Sanders, framed the suit as part of a “bizarre crusade to stop China fireworks.”

“What’s next, a lawsuit against swimmers for polluting the ocean with their suntan lotion?” Roth said.

Marco Gonzalez, a lawyer for the environmental rights foundation, exulted over Friday’s win, which comes after months of criticism against him for challenging an American tradition.

“If you were to sum it up with one word, I would say ‘vindication.’ It’s vindication for the environment ... and it’s vindication for my client because of the amount of disparaging comments and general negativity that was thrown our way when we were told that our lawsuit was frivolous,” Gonzalez said.

Earlier this month, his lawsuit had spurred regional pollution regulators to adopt a new permit for fireworks shot over beaches and bays. The mandate, based on the Clean Water Act, was a national first.

Gonzalez said he also is breaking new ground in seeking reviews of Chinese fireworks shows under California environmental law.

“There are a whole host of impacts that we know occur from fireworks shows, from marine mammals to marine birds to water quality to traffic to noise to the air,” Gonzalez said. “We want it studied and we want it mitigated.”

Tony Manolatos, a spokesman for City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, stood by the council’s exemption for fireworks. “I think banning fireworks on the Fourth of July is un-American,” he said, “and I think the majority of San Diegans would agree.”

Gonzalez has repeatedly said that protecting water quality and coastal species is patriotic.

Fireworks-sparked blazes jump in China

2011-02-09T05:07:00.000-08:00

A winter drought raises the risk of accidents during Lunar New Year, but the Chinese are too attached to the traditional pyrotechnics to curb their use.

Reporting from Beijing — The Chinese love of pyrotechnics and the country's winter drought have proved a combustible combination for Lunar New Year holiday celebrations, which have been ushered in by a wave of mostly small fires.
The Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday reported 11,800 fires nationwide during the weeklong holiday, up from 7,480 the previous year, according to the official New China News Agency. In the parched capital of Beijing alone, there were 194 fires, almost double the number last year.
The hazards are complicated this year by a drought that is also threatening the country's winter wheat crop. Northern China has seen no major precipitation since October, and state news media have warned that the drought could be the worst since modern record-keeping began in 1951. In addition, the use of flammable insulation material has been blamed for a number of building fires, most lethally in Shanghai, where a fire in November killed at least 58 people in a high-rise apartment building.

"The drought, the fireworks, the shoddy building materials — this is a bad combination," said Ma Jun, a prominent Chinese environmentalist. "We need to change that."
This year's tragedies might be the impetus for change. Six firefighters died Saturday night battling a forest blaze in Zhejiang province that authorities believe was started by fireworks. Fireworks are also suspected in a blaze that heavily damaged a 1,000-year-old temple Monday morning in the eastern city of Fuzhou. In the northeastern city of Shenyang, a five-star hotel in the tallest real estate complex there was gutted after fireworks ignited in a parking lot landed on a roof.

Not including the fire in Shenyang, damage from all the fires was estimated at $8.5 million, double the amount last year.
The Chinese government runs frequent, well-publicized campaigns against unlicensed fireworks.
Authorities have tried periodically to banish fireworks from the cities. But the right to ignite one's own private stash is cherished as sacred by many Chinese, whose folklore has it that the loud bangs scare off evil spirits. A 12-year ban on fireworks in the capital was lifted in 2006.

Beijing settles for restricting the size of the fireworks that can be used in the inner city and inspecting some vehicles coming from the outskirts for contraband. The government has not reinstituted the ban despite a dramatic 2009 fire that destroyed part of a Rem Koolhaas-designed architectural showpiece that was supposed to be the headquarters of CCTV, China's main propaganda organ.

Temporary kiosks operating under government supervision are fixtures on street corners every Chinese New Year, when fireworks are legally offered for sale in the cities.

"For sure, the weather is very dry and that creates a problem," said Wang Liying, the manager of a kiosk filled with shiny, red packages of combustibles in Tongzhou, a Beijing suburb.

Wang's employees were handing out fliers with safety instructions: Don't ignite fireworks or firecrackers near gas stations, cultural heritage sites, in forests, on rooftops or balconies. But she insisted that her wares were safe.

"See these sparklers; a 3-year-old can light them," she said.

Across the street, a group of men unleashing a fountain of green light from a Roman candle acknowledged that there were some frightening aspects to pyrotechnics. "It's true that the fireworks are dangerous," said 38-year-old Ye Yun. "But what would New Year be without fireworks? For us Chinese, this is a tradition that is in our blood for a thousand years."

Tommy Yang of The Times' Beijing Bureau contributed to this report.

Death toll in C. China fireworks explosion rises to 12

2010-12-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

Death toll in C. China fireworks explosion rises to 12

http://www.fireworks-firecrackers.com/ 2010-12-20 00:10:44 FeedbackPrintRSS

CHANGSHA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in a fireworks blast in central China' s Hunan Province rose from an earlier announced nine to 12 after DNA tests results were completed , local authorities said Sunday night.
Another two people were believed to be missing, police said, adding that three of the 12 victims were still to be identified.
The blast, which also injured nine others, occurred in Ningxiang County of Changsha, the provincial capital, at about 9:30 p.m. Friday when a truck loaded with fireworks fuses hit a power pole and sparks from fallen cables ignited the fuses.
The blast destroyed the truck and nearby houses, shattering windows and cracking walls hundreds of meters away.
Rescue work and clean-up at the site ended on Sunday, a local government spokesman said.
The nine injured, who are being treated in hospital, are in stable conditions, according to the spokesman.
However, the whereabouts of the truck driver remains unknown.
Police continue investigating the accident.

Editor: pyrotechnist.com

Death toll in C. China fireworks explosion rises to 12

2010-12-20T14:25:00.001-08:00

Death toll in C. China fireworks explosion rises to 12

http://www.fireworks-firecrackers.com/ 2010-12-20 00:10:44
CHANGSHA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in a fireworks blast in central China' s Hunan Province rose from an earlier announced nine to 12 after DNA tests results were completed , local authorities said Sunday night.

Another two people were believed to be missing, police said, adding that three of the 12 victims were still to be identified.

The blast, which also injured nine others, occurred in Ningxiang County of Changsha, the provincial capital, at about 9:30 p.m. Friday when a truck loaded with fireworks fuses hit a power pole and sparks from fallen cables ignited the fuses.

The blast destroyed the truck and nearby houses, shattering windows and cracking walls hundreds of meters away.

Rescue work and clean-up at the site ended on Sunday, a local government spokesman said.

The nine injured, who are being treated in hospital, are in stable conditions, according to the spokesman.

However, the whereabouts of the truck driver remains unknown.

Police continue investigating the accident.

China gave a stunning goodbye with amazing fireworks

2010-11-30T17:15:00.000-08:00

The Asian Games (also known as XVI ASIAD) meets its grand finale tonight with incredible fireworks in the event of closing ceremony. The 16 days long game is the largest ever Asian Games. The skies light up with unbelievable firecrackers as China brought the curtains down on the major Asian Games 2010 in an uprising of colour, musical extravaganza, and an enlightening gala at the Haixinsha Island on the Pearl River.

The 16th Asian Games lowered its shutter in a jolly closing ceremony on Saturday night as host China demonstrated its unconcealed domination by sweeping 199 gold medals.

The president of the Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, summoned the Guangzhou Asiad “a vast achievement” and “one of the most exceptional” in history.

China won 119silver and 98 bronze, crowned the table for the 8th straight time, crashing its top gold tally of 183, engrave the 1990 Beijing Games.

Out of the 45 participating teams 36 were medaled in the 16-day games, wherein South Korea bagging 232 medals including 76 gold, thrashing Japan into a far-off third with 48 gold out of 216 medals.

After Beijing hosted the Olympics and Shanghai the World Expo, Guangzhou apprehended the Asian Games at the same time as an occasion to showcase its custom and modernity to the globe.

China’s 3rd largest city invested a surprising 120 billion yuan (about 17.9 billion U.S. dollars) in its assignments including stadiums, roads and subway lines. China opened the ceremony in a distinctive water-themed opening ceremony which paid honor to the city’s seafaring heritage; the ending was more like a singing and dancing gala.

Famous Asian artists such as India’s Gupta Tanya and Rave Tripthi, China’s Tang Can, Kazakhstan’s Mayra Kerei, Japan’s Ryoko Nakano, executed folk songs of their origin.

The sail-shaped vast LED screen in the backdrop interrelated with the performance while altering lights assisted change the field of play into glittery and blue sky, delegate cultural and natural landscape of Asia, from which athletes and officials from outstanding the continent could found their familiar tempo.

An Hour before the closing ceremony, the Chinese women’s volleyball team marched from two sets down to hit South Korea to win the last gold of the Games.

35 Olympic gold medalists, including athlete Liu Xiang and badminton players Lin Dan, appeared the brightest stars among the 1,454-member Chinese designation.

India finished 6th on the medal tally with a record 14 gold, 17 silver and 33 bronze for an in general tally of 64, covering their former record of 57 medals in the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi.

Korea finished following the 2nd place whereas Japan was 3rd that highlighted the reality that the Asian Games, the 2nd largest sports event after the Olympic Games, are still being terribly conquered by the distantly eastern nations of the continent.

100 artists with Indian flower garland in their hands tapped in 2 groups next the bikes and formed 2 curved moons on both sides of the Torch Tower while over 1000 singing group members grasp multihued Indian light-reflecting towels danced in accord.

The previous regions of the continent were also given their renown in the cultural background before flashbacks of the Asian Games competitions and athletes being honored their medals were shown with touching scenes, representing the eagerness and harmony that was perceptible all through the Games.

The show ended with all the contestants’ arrival to the stage forming different patterns while singing and dancing with throw away to bring an ending to the cultural part and the opening of the formal part of the ceremony with the coming of the athletes.

Subsequently the flag of the 1st Games held in Delhi in 1951 and the OCA flag were renounced to the Korean representatives by Huahua and Peng.

The Koreans accessible a little segment to the supplement of outstanding instruments and taekwondo, the country’s martial arts, which is as well a section of the Games event and ‘Welcome to Incheon’ and ‘See you at Incheon in 2014’ were burst into flames on the screen. The Games flame was snuffed out prior to the firecrackers illuminate the night sky to mark the end of the closing ceremony.

New ATF rules affecting PGI and club events

2010-11-25T11:13:00.000-08:00

Here is the officially approved PGI stance as it will be published in the next Bulletin. Please feel free to circulate this to any other lists, discussion groups, or other sites to which you subscribe. May as well get the word, bad though it is, out to everyone.

Transportation of Fireworks by Hobbyists June 2009 Update: URGENT READING By John Steinberg This article has been vetted for legal accuracy and reviewed by PGI Attorney, Doug Mawhorr.

If you are even thinking about bringing fireworks to the PGI, that are regulated as explosives by ATF, please read this article thoroughly as there has been a major change in rules interpretation and enforcement by ATF.

Let me also clarify and reiterate DOT rules interpretation which has NOT changed. DOT: 1) If you are NOT in commerce, DOT rules and regulations do NOT apply to you. You need not have a CDL, placards, log book, MCS 90 insurance certificate and $5 million in coverage, hazardous materials registration, etc. 2) If you are in commerce, you need all of the above and more. Conclusions: If you are bringing your own non-commercial fireworks to the PGI for your own enjoyment, DOT has no issue with you and you have none with them. This has not changed. If PGI is paying you to do a display, EVEN if you are a club, you MUST find a qualified means to transport your pyrotechnic materials to the convention. This most likely means working with a display company as no club I know of, including the PGI, can afford to become a commercial transporter of display fireworks.

ATF: Some history is required here: On May 24, 2003, the Safe Explosives Act took effect. This required an ATF license for ALL transportation of regulated explosives on public roads. "Public roads" means anything off your personal property. A User Limited ATF license will allow intrastate transportation. An ATF license, of any type greater than User Limited, is required for interstate transportation.

In 2006, the ATF conducted an enforcement operation at the Appleton PGI convention. Though no material was seized and no persons were charged, this created a problem that we felt needed to be addressed. To that end, on December 11, 2006, our attorney, John Brooke, Tom Handel, and I met with ATF and DOT personnel at ATF HQ. Representing ATF at that meeting were, among others, ATF Co-Chief Counsel, Teresa Ficaretta, Arson and Explosives Division Explosives Industry Branch Programs Chief Gary Bangs, and his immediate superior, Mark Jones, the Deputy Division Chief. An agreement was arrived at, endorsed by ATF Counsel, that a member of a club could transport hobbyist materials to a club event under the club ATF license.

An agreement was also reached whereby it was determined that travel requiring an overnight stay would still be interpreted as transportation and that no magazine storage would be required. Table of distances requirements would be in force, however, but cars would not count as occupied structures, so parking lots would have sufficed so long as the vehicle was locked. The details of and permissions granted under this agreement have previously been published in some detail and I will not reiterate those details here. Though we asked ATF to reduce this agreement to writing, no written response was ever provided to the questions we posed. These questions have now been answered in the June 2009 ATF Explosives Industry Newsletter.

For two and a half years, this verbal agreement was honored. No other interpretation was offered and enforcement was consistent with the agreements reached in 2006 by ATF and PGI. DOT did not offer any changes in regulatory interpretation at this meeting and none were requested of DOT by PGI.

The ATF regulation interpretation has now changed. The permissions previously afforded members to transport under a club license have been unilaterally rescinded and previous permissions granted must be considered as revoked.

If you are a non-ATF-licensed hobbyist: 1) You may continue to make and use regulated explosives for your own non-commercial enjoyment on your own property and must comply with lawful storage requirements. 2) You may NOT transport that material to a club event on the club license. 3) You may transfer your material to an ATF license holder. BUT, you may NOT transport the material off your property to that license holder. An ATF license holder may come to you, collect your material, create a record of acquisition, and then transport the materials to his magazine, logging them in properly. This is NO longer your material. The transfer must remain NON-COMMERCIAL. No payment for this service may be made by you to the license holder nor any payment made to you for the material. The license holder may bring this non-commercial material to an ATF-licensed-club event and transfer the material to the possession of the club. The club must create a record of acquisition. If you are a member of the club, with the club's permission, you may then be allowed to fire said material at that club event. But, the material can never be returned to your possession.

From this point forward, with NO EXCEPTIONS: You MUST have an ATF User Limited License for ANY intrastate (within your state, crossing NO state boundary lines) transportation of regulated explosive materials, whether in commerce or not. You must have an ATF license, of any type greater than User Limited, which is required for ANY interstate transportation of regulated explosives.

Further, as if that news were not enough, you are now in transportation ONLY while en route and moving. Whether or not you are an ATF license holder, if you stop overnight, your material MUST either be placed in a lawful magazine or, in a locked and attended vehicle AT THE DISPLAY SITE.

I was pleased that we could work out the agreement that was in force for the last two and a half years. I am dismayed that an agreement that worked so well has now been unilaterally discarded without any consultation with or communication to those affected, except as provided in the newsletter. But, that's the way it is.

Given the recent changes in ATF interpretation of explosives rules that rescind these two key allowances previously afforded hobbyists as published in the June Industry Newsletter, I think it would be both reasonable and prudent to expect an ATF enforcement action at the PGI convention and, perhaps, at other regional club activities. Thus, if you are not 100% certain you are lawfully transporting fireworks (non-commercial, ATF license holder) do not even think about doing so this year.

If you can find a license holder to come collect your material and are willing to part with it, as described above, this is your only remaining option to be a non-licensed hobbyist manufacturer and shoot your material at club events held at sites other than on your property. Otherwise, your best course would be to obtain an ATF license and a contingency storage letter from a license holder or to establish proper storage on your own premises.

In closing, this is, in my opinion, bad news and certainly makes life more complicated, but, for all but a few hobbyists, there are still solutions that will allow you to continue to enjoy your hobby. Whatever you choose to do, please do so lawfully. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by email. I will answer your questions and have our attorneys vet those answers for accuracy.

Asian Games open amid fireworks, water show

2010-11-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

GUANGZHOU, China (AP) — Light beams, fireworks and water jets exploded from the banks of the Pearl River as China marked the opening of the 16th Asian Games in southern city Guangzhou, two years after dazzling the world with a gala opener to the Beijing Olympics.

Unlike the land-bound festivities at the Bird's Nest stadium that featured thousands of performers moving in coordination in 2008, Asian Games organizers paid tribute to coastal Guangdong province's seafaring heritage.

The venue on tiny Haixinsha island was configured like a sailboat for the 4 1/2-hour opening festivities designed by Chen Weiya — famed Chinese director Zhang Yimou's deputy when he crafted the Beijing ceremony. The 27,000-capacity stadium stood as the cabin; four towering pillars in front of it unfurled eight video screens that doubled as sails.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiaobao declared the games open. He was joined in the dignitaries box by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge.

The ceremony kicked off with a small boy floating down from the sky on a leaf-like carriage lit in green. He poured water from a bottle, setting off giant fountains that sprayed in arcs across the stage. Four dozen water goddesses seemed to walk across the water, followed by a dozen fairies rising out of pools in the stage floor.

Performers flapping large pieces of red cloth scrambled across the stage to create the image of petals dropping on water. Other actors entered in a large sampan-like vessel, recreating a journey in rough seas, with the would-be sailors swaying on ropes and ladders amid waters represented by large flags waved by hundreds of dancers.

Classical pianist Lang Lang performed on a white grand and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" actress Zhang Ziyi sang as synchronized swimmers danced and water sprouted before them.

Performers on jet skis zoomed into the stadium and performed tricks.

In a playful segment, dozens of dancers attached to wires seemed to run across cityscapes flashed across the video screens, climbed mountains and formed formations to look like eagles flying through the sky.

In a nod to Chinese hurdling superstar Liu Xiang, who is recovering from an Achilles' tendon injury that forced him to withdraw from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the dancers formed hurdles across a track while one jumped smoothly over them.

In keeping with the night's nautical theme, instead of walking into the stadium, the athletes arrived on boats that ferried them down the Pearl River. Brightly illuminated in bulbs of different colors, the 45 boats were decorated with Asian landmarks — including Japan's Mount Fuji, Cambodia's Angkor Wat, Jordan's Petra and India's Taj Mahal. China was represented by the Temple of Heaven, the Bird's Nest and the country's pavilion from the recently concluded Shanghai World Expo.

When the final torch bearer, Olympic champion diver He Chong, approached the Guangzhou cauldron — which emerged from the stage supported by four giant arches — he lit a big firecracker with two children who muffled their ears. The sparks that followed set the cauldron aflame.

The huge scale of the event has posed a logistical dilemma for the Chinese organizers.

Except for members of the public who won a lottery for tickets to the show, most residents of this wealthy city of 10 million watched it on TV — even though many could have enjoyed a picturesque view of the proceedings from either side of the river.

Officials locked down areas near the stadium, ordering residents within a half-mile radius to leave their homes for the night — apparently to eliminate the threat of sniper fire. However, they were asked to leave their lights on to help maintain a glittering skyline backdrop.

Tickets to the ceremony went for as much as $1,025.

China’s Mandatory Vacation, With a Catch

2010-10-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

Fireworks lighted the sky over Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong on Friday to celebrate National Day.

BEIJING — Who doesn’t love a weeklong obligatory vacation? In China, where an estimated 200 million people on Friday began elbowing their way onto trains, buses and highways for the National Day holiday, the answer is not so simple.

According to a government-mandated holiday schedule that took effect in 2008, workers were given three consecutive days off last week for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but they were required to make up two of those by working the Saturday and Sunday on either end of the holiday.

This give-and-take arrangement is then repeated for the National Day holiday, with employees enjoying seven straight days off — Friday through Oct. 7 — except only three of those are official free days. (The four “gifted days” will be made up over the weekends before and after.)

If you have trouble with the math, you are in good company.

“Seeing the calendar, my first reaction was, ‘This is insane, how am I supposed to remember this?’ ” Zhou Li, a government employee, told The Yangzhou Daily last week. “The arrangement is so complicated, with holidays messed up with weekends, it is impossible to memorize.”

The problem was made worse this year because the Mid-Autumn Festival fell on Sept. 22, within a week of the longer National Day sojourn.

A cheat sheet that has been making the rounds on the Internet sums up the pattern as such, beginning Sept. 18: One day off, three days on, three days off, six days on, seven days off, two days on, one day off.

Confusion aside, many Chinese resent having to pay back some of their vacation days.

“Even while I’m enjoying my week off, I can’t stop thinking about the fact that I have to make up four of those days during my weekends,” said Huang Linmei, 25, a legal secretary in Beijing. “I’d like to yell at the person who came up with this schedule.”

Ms. Huang could start by yelling at Cai Jiming, a professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing who is generally blamed for pushing the changes that saw the shortening of the May Day holiday from a week to a day and its replacement with three shorter blocks — Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Day. Although officials have promoted the holidays as a way for people to reconnect to traditions eradicated decades ago by the Communist Party, most Chinese complain that at three days each, the holidays are too short for traveling.

Even as the government increased the number of official holidays to 11 from 10 days, it infuriated the nation by killing off one of three so-called Golden Weeks (the third one is the Spring Festival, when Chinese celebrate the Lunar New Year in January or February).

Mr. Cai is eager to explain that he is committed to giving Chinese workers their leisure time while sparing the country’s transportation system and tourist sites the madness of mass travel.

“It’s not good for the environment, and it’s not good for the tourist sector, which has to invest all this money for a few weeks of craziness and then is relatively idle the rest of the year,” he said.

It was during the throes of the Asian financial crisis that Beijing, in 1999, came up with the notion of Golden Weeks as a way to incite consumer spending and to give a lift to the tourist industry.

But penurious spending habits and low wages doomed any economic windfall, while those who did travel domestically returned to work less than refreshed.

“I stopped going anywhere during Golden Week after I was forced to stand 20 hours on the train back from Huangshan,” said Chen Liubing, 29, a computer repair technician, referring to a fabled mountain that is a popular tourist draw.

The other problem, Chinese leaders realized, is that bringing the entire country to a halt for three weeks is not exactly conducive to a nation obsessed with rapid economic growth.

But two years ago, when the government proposed phasing out both the May Day and National Day Golden Weeks, the people’s response was so furious that only the May Day one was affected and the three short “traditional” holidays were born.

Many officials are still seeking an end to the National Day Golden Week, but they acknowledge that for now, mandatory holidays may be the only way to give workers time off, given that most companies ignore a law that guarantees workers 15 days of paid vacation a year — to be taken at a time of their choosing.

Mr. Cai said that one day, when China’s development is on par with that of Europe and the United States, he hoped people would be able to take vacations when they pleased, not in one gigantic, nerve-racking huddle.

Still, he admitted that even if he had paid time off, he probably would stay at his office desk, which is where he will be spending the coming week.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I just have too much work to do.”

Fireworks greet opening of China Town

2010-10-02T19:18:00.001-07:00

Hundreds of Chinese yesterday celebrated the opening of a little piece of China in Auckland, accompanied by fireworks and a lion dance ceremony.
China Town in Manukau City was opened with two mayors, MPs and local politicians in attendance.
The project is headed by local businessmen Jack Ren and Crown Xu, who have turned the former 7157sq m Bunnings Warehouse building on Ti Rakau Drive into a market square.
Mr Ren said the market would be different from what was being offered at local malls and weekend markets.
Bargaining and bartering are often accepted and expected in such centres. Lili Qi, the centre's marketing manager, says more than half of the 170 stalls have been leased, and business will be in full swing by Christmas.
She said the centre was "an opportunity to showcase Chinese culture".
An "Asian gourmet street" will house more than 30 stalls selling street dishes from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and other parts of Asia.
Dick Quax, a Manukau councillor, said the project was fantastic for Manukau and long overdue.
"China Town will be a huge attraction, not just for the locals, but it will also bring in the tourists and other visitors," said Mr Quax, who attended the opening.
Auckland is home to more than 100,000 Chinese, and 27 per cent of people in Manukau are of Asian descent. A Property Economics study says about 40 per cent of visitors to China Town will come from outside the Manukau area.
Business owner John Robertson, who runs Van Qing, a stall selling Chinese paintings, said the low rent was the main attraction for him to set up shop at China Town.
"It would have cost me three or nearly four times more to start the same thing at the local mall," he said.
The mall was opened on the 61st anniversary of the creation of the People's Republic of China.
However, shopper Kevin Foo, a local-born Chinese, said he wasn't happy with the project.

"Our ancestors have worked so hard for us Chinese to be accepted as New Zealanders, and this China Town is just another sign that shouts Chinese immigrants aren't prepared to integrate."

Chinese band members entertain during the grand opening ceremony of China Town in East Tamaki yesterday

Disneyland fireworks show returns Friday

2010-09-16T21:44:00.001-07:00

The fireworks show that was created for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary by Chinese fireworks will come back to the park this weekend.
The “Remember” display is set to return 9:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. See the Disneyland schedule.
“Remember … Dreams Come True” is themed with music and effects based on the different lands within Disneyland. It was created for the park’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2005, but the show usually comes back during off seasons.
“Remember” is scheduled to appear most weekend nights during the fall.
Friday also marks the beginning of Halloween Time in the Disneyland Resort.
However, the special fireworks show, “Halloween Screams,” will only be displayed for visitors who buy special tickets for Mickey’s Halloween Party events in October. Disney will host the trick-or-treat parties and fireworks shows on 10 nights in October — Tuesdays, Fridays and Oct. 31.
The special Halloween fireworks show debuted last year, when all park guests could watch it. This year, the show is restricted to party goers.

China officials shut fireworks plants after blast

2010-09-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

BEIJING—All nine fireworks factories in Heilongjiang province in northeast China were ordered shut Thursday, days after a blast at one of them killed 20 people.

Tweet 1 person Tweeted thisSubmit to DiggdiggsdiggYahoo! Buzz ShareThis The factories have been told to dismantle their production facilities by the end of the month, according to a statement on the website of the Heilongjiang Work Safety Administration.

"We have rescinded their permits for production," the statement said.

The official Xinhua News Agency said three government officials and two factory executives were fired or detained after Monday's blast. It said a preliminary investigation showed the plant was illegally producing fireworks.

Up to 50 people were working at the fireworks factory in the city of Yichun when it was rocked by an explosion, damaging nearby buildings and sparking secondary blasts.

A total of 153 people were injured by the blast, which could be felt up to 2 miles (5 kilometers) away and smashed windows in the local government offices and other buildings, the Xinhua reported.

Safety is lax at Chinese fireworks plants, and accidents are common. Dozens of people also die each year from unsafe handling of fireworks while celebrating weddings and traditional holidays.

A fireworks factory in China where an explosion killed 20 people and injured 150 more was operating illegally, according to reports

2010-08-18T02:05:00.000-07:00

Shockwaves from the blast were felt over three miles away, shattering building windows.

The explosion happened on Monday near the city of Yichun in Heilongjiang province.

It is unclear what caused the explosion but it is believed the blast occurred while workers were moving stock inside the factory.

The factory had its licence confiscated in June after safety concerns were raised according to the official Xinhua news agency.

An eyewitness from a nearby building said: "We assumed it was an earthquake because the office building trembled and the lamps and clocks fell.

"A huge black mushroom cloud was visible. It rose and grew from where the fireworks factory is located."

More than 2,000 residents were evacuated from the area as over 550 firefighters tried to extinguish the blaze.

.China farmer uses cannon to fight eviction

2010-06-22T02:52:00.000-07:00

BEIJING (AFP) – A farmer in central China has turned his home into a fort equipped with a homemade cannon and fireworks to fight off government eviction in an ongoing land dispute, state media said Wednesday.

Yang Youde, 56, has twice repelled government-backed demolition crews in Hubei province by firing the cannon and peppering workers with fireworks, the Beijing News said.

Yang manufactured his arsenal with used stove pipes and 2,000 yuan (300 dollars) worth of fireworks, it said.

His cannon can fire projectiles up to 100 metres (yards), it said.

"I'm a law-abiding citizen, I don't believe these fireworks can kill," Yang said in an interview.

"I must protect my rights. I believe that the lower-level officials are out to harm the people, but higher-level leaders are enlightened," he said.

"I'm a farmer. My whole life depends on farming. If I surrender, I have nowhere to go."

In the latest confrontation in May, workers beat Yang up after he ran out of fireworks, the report said.

China has witnessed a surge of violent confrontations triggered by land seizures as officials and businesses seek to cash in on a nationwide property boom by evicting residents and developing their land.

In late April, a Communist Party official in Henan province was detained after he ordered a truck driver to run over a protester in a land dispute. The protester was killed.

In another case, a 47-year-old woman set herself on fire in November in Sichuan province over the planned demolition of her husband's garment-processing business. She died 16 days later.

20 dead, 49 injured in S China firework blast

2010-02-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

GUANGZHOU: The death toll of a fireworks explosion has risen to 20 as an injured person died in hospital in south China's Guangdong Province, local authorities said Saturday.

The explosion occurred at Shiqiaotou Village, Junbu Township of Puning City at about 8:00 pm Friday, according to the provincial public security department and Puning city government.

Bodies of 13 people were discovered at the scene Friday night and seven others died in hospital later. Eight people are still in critical conditions.

Related readings:
19 dead in S. China firework-triggered blast
Death toll in N.China firework blast rises to 4

Villager Yang Junshu and his family were setting off firecrackers in front of his house. It is believed that the flame ignited other fireworks on the ground and caused the huge explosion, a witness surnamed Yang, whose house is about 200 meters away from the scene, told Xinhua.

Police have detained Yang Junshu and his nephew Yang Keqin. Their relatives have handed in 8 million yuan ($1.17 million) for compensation.

The municipal government has identified 10 of the dead, seven men and three women, including the detained suspect Yang Junshu's mother Chen Yaxia, brother Yang Junmao, daughter-in-law Yang Beibei.

The others include two sons and a daughter of a neighbor of Yang Junshu and four villagers.

Police and work safety officials have started a safety check on the sale, storage, transportation and the use of fireworks in Puning. Officials said they would close all unlicensed retailers.

Fireworks and firecrackers are a necessity for celebrating the Lunar New Year, the most important holiday in China. The festival ends Sunday.

China urges checks after deadly fireworks blast

2010-02-28T19:46:00.000-08:00

BEIJING (AP) — China has issued an urgent order to local authorities to strengthen safety measures after an explosion triggered by Lunar New Year fireworks killed 21 people and injured 48 in a southern village.
The State Council's Work Safety Commission said in a notice that authorities around the country should learn from the mistakes that caused the blast late Friday in the southern province of Guangdong, the deadliest accident of the 15-day Spring Festival.

The celebrations are set to end Sunday with a lantern festival. Fireworks are often a key part.

Last year, lantern festival fireworks sparked an inferno that destroyed a nearly completed hotel next to state broadcaster CCTV's landmark new office building in downtown Beijing, leaving one firefighter dead. Earlier this month, fireworks started a blaze that destroyed a 1,600-year-old city gate in northern China, causing about $150,000 in financial losses.

The death toll from Friday's explosion in a residential area rose to 21 by Sunday morning, Guangdong emergency authorities said in a statement. State media said authorities have so far identified 10 of the dead.

Thirteen bodies were found at the site while eight others died in hospitals from injuries. Among the remaining 48 people who were injured, six were in critical condition, the government said.

The provincial authority said an initial investigation found that a pile of fireworks were set off in an open space 30 yards (meters) from a residential building and that two people allegedly responsible for the blast have been detained by police.

State broadcaster CCTV said some of the fireworks that triggered the explosion were highly dangerous and only meant to be handled by professionals.

Television footage showed the explosion had ripped through a six-story apartment building, blowing out windows and a ground floor wall, covering one side of the structure in soot and completely melting the exterior of a car parked in front of it.

A Look at the Strange Ingredients that Make Fireworks Pop

2009-07-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

An ancient mix of black powder, essentially gunpowder little changed from its invention in China a millennia ago, gets each rocket in the air by creating pressure in gas trapped in a tube, or mortar.
Two fuses are lit at once: one to ignite the black powder, and another that burns slower, creating a well-timed explosion high in the sky.
The shells of commercial fireworks contain a powdery concoction of chemicals that produce the bangs and the whistles, as well as the pretty effects. Tubes, hollow spheres, and paper wrappings work as barriers to compartmentalize the effects. More complicated shells are divided into even more sections to control the timing of secondary explosions.
Big booms and whistles come from flash powder. Once used for flashes in photography, it is a combination of fuel-like metal and a chemical that feeds oxygen to fire up the fuel.
Different combinations of metals and oxides produce a whole array of sounds.
While ancient Greeks and Romans used bismuth in their beauty care products and coins, chemists add bismuth trioxide to the flash powder to get that crackling sound, dubbed "dragon eggs." Ear-splitting whistles take four ingredients, including a food preservative and Vaseline.
The variety of color in a fireworks show depends on the mix of metals.
Copper produces blue sparks. A mix of strontium salts, lithium salts and other stuff makes red. Aluminum and titanium put the white stars in an aerial flag. Barium, also used in rat poison and glass making, makes green. Calcium burns orange and sodium, yellow.
In recent years, chemists have worked to develop more environmentally friendly fireworks, in part because one ingredient, perchlorate, was found in higher than normal concentrations in a lake where fireworks were shot off, and the chemical is known to cause thyroid problems in humans.
Meanwhile, to light up a red, white, and blue flag, chemists can lay out the emblem's design on wax paper. The pattern you see up in the air, whether it's a smiley face or a bow tie, mirrors the arrangement of the metals in the shell.
Because the flag, or any other pattern, shoots out from the shell as a two-dimensional image, people watching the show from different angles can't always tell what they're looking at. To make sure everyone has a good view, pyrotechnists tend to send duplicates into the sky at the same time.
You can see fireworks before you hear them because light travels faster than sound.

Fireworks factory fire kills 10 in India

2009-07-22T01:54:00.000-07:00

July 21, 2009 - 9:54PM
At least 10 people were killed when a blaze destroyed a fireworks plant in southern India, the second such fire in two weeks, officials said on Tuesday.
Twenty-eight people were injured in the fire which erupted on Monday in the town of Sivakasi, India's leading fireworks manufacturing centre.
Thirteen of those hurt were in hospital with severe burns, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi told the state assembly.
The chief minister said he had ordered a probe into the fire and asked experts to review safety measures in Sivakasi, 560km south of Chennai.
The blaze came after 19 people died in a similar fireworks factory fire on July 7 in Tamil Nadu.
Ninety per cent of India's pyrotechnics originate in Sivakasi.
Some 670 privately owned units in Sivakasi produce fireworks worth seven billion rupees ($A171.66 million) a year.
Fires are frequent at firecracker factories in India due to lax safety standards.

Jackson Board of Aldermen vote to reverse fireworks ban

2009-07-21T00:21:00.000-07:00

JACKSON, MO (KFVS) - Just days after the 4th of July, the Jackson Board of Aldermen voted to ban fireworks.
After a lot of public outcry, the board reconsidered the measure Monday night.
The board decided to reverse the ban on fireworks by a vote of one to seven.
That means fireworks are allowed within Jackson city limits the week of Independence Day, as they were before the ban.
The lone vote in favor of the ban was Alderman Larry Cunningham who says he believes it's a safety issue.
"I think it's a safety issue and I think it needs to be addressed," Cunningham said.
"[I think it's] up to the citizens of the town to have input into it and decide what should be done on something that important," said Alderman Mark Dambach. He said he thinks fireworks should be left to parents to decide what's appropriate for their children.
Several people opposing the ban showed up to the meeting and voiced their opinions.
At least two fireworks sellers were also there, opposing the ban.
After the vote, several members in the audience applauded.
There is no ban on fireworks in Jackson and that the ordinance on the books stands as it did before.

fireworks photography tips

2009-07-13T02:02:00.000-07:00

4th of July fireworks photography tips

Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:31PM EDT

Buzz up!36 votes The 4th of July is nearly upon us, and that means it's time to to go watch things explode violently and colorfully in the sky... and impressing your friends with the photos you take of said explosions.

Taking good fireworks pictures isn't actually all that easy, so I've cobbled together my favorite fireworks pic-taking tips -- something of an annual tradition now at Yahoo! Tech -- to help you on your way. After all, you only get one day a year (maybe two) to snap a big fireworks show.

Don't forget to charge your batteries and clear out some space on your memory card first!

4th of July Fireworks Tips

Forget the Flash

You're shooting at night or dusk, and unless you change it, your camera's auto-flash setting will want to go off with ever shutter press. Turn it off before you get started: You can no more illuminate a fireworks display with your tiny flash than you can the moon. The flash will even work against you by slowing down your camera, causing you to miss shots.

Tripods Are Your Friend

Low-light photography means keeping things as still as possible during the shot. A tripod will help immensely here. If you're comfortable with manual settings, change the aperture to f/8 or f/16 and use ISO 100, which pros say are the best settings for pyrotechnics. (Many cameras also have a special fireworks mode, obviously also worth a shot.)

Try the Rapid-Fire Mode

Most cameras have a speed mode that lets you capture 5, 10, or more shots in rapid succession with a single shutter press. Give it a try when you know a big volley is coming up. You never know what you're going to catch.

Vary Your Angles

You'll naturally feel like zooming in on the explosions in the sky, but more interesting shots often include the environment -- the crowd, surrounding buildings or landscape, clouds, and anything else nearby. Consider getting a seat further away than you might ordinarily try for so you have this option. At the same time, ultra-close zoom shots of fireworks can yield very interesting and unusual results.

Fireworks over Baghdad as Iraqis take over cities

2009-06-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

Fireworks light up the night sky above Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, June 29, 2009. U.S. troops will be out of Iraqi cities by tomorrow Tuesday June 30 in the first step toward winding down the American war effort by the end of 2011.

2009-02-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

BEIJING – An Olympic-style fireworks display put on by China's state-run television broadcaster was the cause of a spectacular blaze that destroyed a luxury hotel that was part of the network's landmark headquarters in Beijing, a fire department spokesman said Tuesday.
The fire, which sent off huge plumes of black smoke and showered the ground with embers, left one firefighter dead and a handful of others injured, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The blaze was put out early Tuesday morning after burning for more than five hours.
Luo Yuan, a spokesman for the Beijing fire department, was quoted as saying by Xinhua that fireworks set off to celebrate the Lunar New Year were to blame for the fire that destroyed the unfinished hotel.
He was quoted as saying that China Central Television had hired a fireworks company to ignite several hundred large fireworks in an open area by the nearly completed Mandarin Oriental hotel.
Video footage seen on Youtube shows spectacular bursts of fireworks above the top of the 44-floor building in downtown Beijing.
CCTV did not show footage of the fire or mention it during its noon broadcast Tuesday.
"It is clear only that the cause was firing fireworks against regulations. The detailed cause is still under investigation," an official in CCTV's foreign affairs department of CCTV, told The Associated Press. The person refused to give her name because she did not have permission to speak to the media.
The 159-metre (520-foot) Mandarin Oriental hotel, designed by Netherlands architects Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren, was part of a stunning CCTV complex that helped transform the capital's skyline for last year's Olympics.
The dynamic Z-shaped CCTV tower next to the hotel has quickly become a symbol of a modernizing and powerful China even though it was not due to open until later this year. The whole complex cost 5 billion yuan ($731 million), according to Xinhua.
Luo told a news conference that the people from a company in Hunan province hired to set off the fireworks were being questioned.
Luo said the fireworks were similar to those used during the Beijing Olympics. Xinhua quoted him as saying because the fireworks were much more powerful than what was available at roadside stalls during the Lunar New Year holiday, approval was needed from the city government before they could be set off in downtown areas.
"The owners of the property ignored police warnings that such fireworks were not allowed," Luo was quoted as saying.
The CCTV foreign affair department official said CCTV owned the hotel building. It is jokingly called "Little Chick" by Beijing residents, while the CCTV twin towers are called "Big Pants" because of the odd angle they are at and how they are joined by two cantilevered arms at the top.
Beijing usually tightly restricts the use of fireworks downtown, but waives the rules each year during the Lunar New Year holiday. Monday was the final day for fireworks, marking the first full moon since the Lunar New Year, and massive barrages exploded in open spaces throughout the city.
One onlooker, Li Jian, said he saw smoke rise from the hotel's roof shortly after a huge burst of fireworks showered it with sparks.
"Smoke came out for a little while, but then it just started burning," Li said.
Dozens of fire crews were called to the scene, and police closed a nearby elevated highway to ensure safety.
A 30-year-old firefighter died after suffering respiratory tract injuries, Xinhua said.
__

'Dependence Day?' America at mercy of China for fireworks

2008-11-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

With skyrocketing prices, safety hazards, U.S. could see fewer July 4 celebrations
WASHINGTON – With Chinese-made fireworks skyrocketing in price and among many imports being recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, some local communities are curtailing their Independence Day celebrations or limiting them to parades and less noisy and spectacular daytime activities.

The cost of Chinese-made fireworks is up 10 to 12 percent, according to large U.S. distributors like Atlas fireworks, one of the largest in the Northeast. With rising prices come decreased sales.
Atlas owner Stephen Pelkey saw 2006 sales drop 3 percent over the previous year and expects the downturn to continue due mostly to price, but also to concerns about safety.
Last week, as WND reported, the CPSC recalled more Chinese imports, including fireworks products intended for July 4 Independence Day celebrations.
The recalls included more than 13,000 300 Shot Saturn Missiles Battery Fireworks that the CPSC says can travel in unexpected and dangerous directions, posing special hazards to eyes and bystanders. In addition, the CPSC recalled about 4,000 500 gram mine/shell devices considered unstable and posing burn and other injury hazards.
Almost all fireworks purchased in the U.S. for July 4 celebrations are manufactured in China.
(Story continues below)
Portsmouth, N.H., recreation director Rus Wilson said that town's fireworks display this July 4 will likely be smaller than previous years because of the higher prices.
Some see it is ironic that America's "Independence Day" celebrations would be curtailed because of "dependence" on fireworks from China.
"Americans equate the Fourth of July with celebrating and fireworks," says Julie Heckman, executive director of the America Pyrotechnics Association. "Fireworks are, historically, a symbol of American independence."
But they have also been big business.
Americans spent more than $900 million to purchase fireworks in 2006. Most of that amount was by consumers for backyard displays. Heckman estimates Americans will spent about $925 million this year. But they won't get as much for their money.
The growth in recent years is largely due to the fact that fireworks are now legal in 45 states and the District of Columbia.
As Americans think about ways to celebrate Independence Day, they may want to consider that many Chinese fireworks are produced by slave labor – or near slave-labor conditions.
Recently, even the official Chinese media reported 468 slaves freed from deplorable conditions in which dozens died. Some 120 were arrested in a four-day crackdown on slave industries that include the production of fireworks. Many of the slaves were children, some as young as 8, who had been kidnapped. The slaves were near starvation and many had been beaten.

UK fireworks shortage after Chinese factories shut for Olympics

2008-11-06T04:52:00.000-08:00

Bonfire night could go off with a whimper rather than a bang for some as Britain feels the knock-on effect of factories being shut down in China for the Olympics.

More than 80 per cent of fireworks used in celebrations in the UK are imported from China but the volume imported this year is significantly down on last year.
Industry experts estimate the amount of fireworks on sale is 30 per cent down on a normal year which will leave last minute buyers with a much reduced choice.
They blamed the Chinese decision to shut down factories as it tried to reduce the cloud of pollution hanging over Beijing during the Olympic Games.
Robin Treacher, spokesman for Huddersfield-based Standard Fireworks, one of the UK's most popular brands, said it had secured enough fireworks.
But he said: "There is a myth that China used all its fireworks for the Olympics. That's not true. But there is quite a shortage because of restrictions in China. A lot of factories were asked to stop production because of their environmental concerns and there was less shipping.
"The best records we can ascertain are that the shipping was 30 per cent down on what's required for November 5.
"Those leaving it until this weekend will find that they just don't have the variety and choice. People will see a lot less on offer."
Firework production in the UK has virtually disappeared and is now almost completely dependent on China.
Ken Fifield, one of the directors of Phoenix Fireworks in Wrotham, Kent said: "There was actually very little supply coming in for about four months. It's starting to clear now as some of the ports are now shipping, but it's a bit of too little, too late.
"We imported from Europe rather than China this year. We saw this coming last January and filled our stores up then so we're now able to re-sell on to some of the professional firework companies who've been caught short."
Simon Cansick, from Hi-5 Fireworks, based near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, added: "There is a shortage, but we've been dealing direct with the Chinese for quite a while and we made sure our shipment got out.
"However, I know some display companies which if they haven't run out yet, they will be very close."
Only two weeks ago 500 massive fireworks containers packed with fireworks were still sitting in China waiting to be shipped and it is unlikely all of them have arrived in time.
Earlier this year the US experienced a shortage of fireworks for July 4 celebrations. Up to 15 per cent of the fireworks expected from China did not reach the US because of the closure of the Chinese port of Sanshui following a series of warehouse explosions.

day time fireworks /color smoke fireworks

2008-10-07T08:31:00.001-07:00

Beijing 2008 Olympic Fireworks

2008-10-07T08:26:00.001-07:00

Aerial Fireworks

2008-09-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

An aerial firework is normally formed as a shell that consists of four parts:
Container - Usually pasted paper and string formed into a cylinder
Stars - Spheres, cubes or cylinders of a sparkler-like composition
Bursting charge - Firecracker-like charge at the center of the shell
Fuse - Provides a time delay so the shell explodes at the right altitude
Located just below the shell is a small cylinder that contains the lifting charge.

These are small shells, about the size of a peach, that you can buy at roadside stands in some states. The sphere is the shell, and the small cylinder below is the lifting charge that shoots it out of the launch tube. The green fuse lights the lifting charge, which in turn lights the shell's fuse. Shells that you see at a show are typically the size of a cantaloupe or even larger.

The shell is launched from a mortar. The mortar might be a short, steel pipe with a lifting charge of black powder that explodes in the pipe to launch the shell. When the lifting charge fires to launch the shell, it lights the shell's fuse. The shell's fuse burns while the shell rises to its correct altitude, and then ignites the bursting charge so it explodes.

Simple shells consist of a paper tube filled with stars and black powder. Stars come in all shapes and sizes, but you can imagine a simple star as something like sparkler compound formed into a ball the size of a pea or a dime. The stars are poured into the tube and then surrounded by black powder. When the fuse burns into the shell, it ignites the bursting charge, causing the shell to explode. The explosion ignites the outside of the stars, which begin to burn with bright showers of sparks. Since the explosion throws the stars in all directions, you get the huge sphere of sparkling light that is so familiar at fireworks displays.
Multibreak ShellsMore complicated shells burst in two or three phases. Shells like this are called multibreak shells. They may contain stars of different colors and compositions to create softer or brighter light, more or less sparks, etc. Some shells contain explosives designed to crackle in the sky, or whistles that explode outward with the stars.
Multibreak shells may consist of a shell filled with other shells, or they may have multiple sections without using additional shells. The sections of a multibreak shell are ignited by different fuses. The bursting of one section ignites the next. The shells must be assembled in such a way that each section explodes in sequence to produce a distinct separate effect. The explosives that break the sections apart are called break charges.
Next, we'll look at how fireworks explode in various patterns during a display.

Footprint Fireworks Were Faked into Olympics Opening TV Show

2008-09-25T04:44:00.001-07:00

A local Beijing paper has revealed that some of the amazing fireworks in the Olympics opening show were digitally-crafted fakes, inserted into the live TV feed. The Beijing Times quotes the head of visual effects, who says that the 28 giant footprints that stomped through the air above the city, ending at the stadium, were advanced CGI. Though the pyrotechnics really were set off, the airborne camera view that the rest of the world watched was fake. Why go to these lengths? Apparently the Olympic committee decided that to follow the real trail of firework footprints was too dangerous for a helicopter camera. Instead a team spent almost a year crafting the fake segment, paying attention to even get the smog lighting effects correct.

China bans fireworks in clubs after deadly fire

2008-09-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:31pm BST
BEIJING (Reuters) - China banned on Tuesday fireworks displays in public entertainment venues, just days after 43 young revellers were killed in a fire at an illegal dance hall.

The fire in Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong, broke out just before midnight last Saturday at the packed King of the Dancers club, sparked by a fireworks display.

"Any type of fireworks is banned in public entertainment places," State Council's Work Safety Committee said in an announcement, pointing to Saturday's fire as an example.

The announcement also required local governments to improve the safety of such venues and to shut down those that do not meet the stricter standards.

(Reporting by Yu Le; Editing by Kirby Chien and Valerie Lee.)

China faked footprints of fire coverage in Olympics opening ceremony

2008-08-14T07:06:00.002-07:00

Was it real? Was it faked? Does it matter? Chinese netizens are debating the computer simulated special effects used for one of high points of the Olympic opening ceremony, the footprints of fire that "stepped" from Tiananmen Square to the Bird's Nest stadium.

Although the procession of fireworks actually took place, it was deemed too difficult and dangerous to film, so billions of viewers were treated instead to a computer-generated film of what it might look like.

Many of those watching were unaware that the effect was expensively "faked" until the Beijing Times reported the following day that only the last of the 29 footprints was actually filmed during the live broadcast.

The newspaper revealed that Crystal Stone - a local production company - had spent almost a year creating the 55-second sequence for the other 28 steps, including efforts to capture the slight shake of a camera on a helicopter and the blurring effect of haze.

Olympic organisers said the decision was necessary for safety reasons, because a helicopter might have been vulnerable to all the fireworks let off that night and it would have been hard to capture the entire route from a single location.

Gao Xiaolong, the head of the visual effects team for the ceremony, told the paper that the final result was not perfect, but achieved the desired effect: "Most of the audience thought it was filmed live - so that was mission accomplished."

On the many online forums about the ceremony and its significance, most Chinese netizens defended the decision to use the simulated sequence. "Although the 3-D production has a different feeling from live filming, we should support the Olympics by taking the authorities at their word and not arguing," said a post by Xin Shuibin on a Baidu discussion site.

Others said it was disappointing but the decision to use computer-generated images was justifiable. "If it had been live, the helicopters would have been in great danger if they flow over the fireworks. They might have crashed," said a commentator who gave the name Waltzer.

Overall, the show was well received, although much of the online opinion on the mainland was more critical than that found among the mainstream media overseas. As has been the case for several of his recent films, the ceremony's director, Zhang Yimou, was lambasted by many for producing a show that was strong on style but weak on content.

Rather than demonstrate real antipathy, however, such criticism may reveal the huge expectations for the landmark event and the high standards to which its director is always held.

Independence Day may go with less of a bang after accident in China

2008-08-14T07:06:00.001-07:00

Sparkles, fizzles and bangs at celebrations such as US Independence Day and Guy Fawkes Night are under threat from a spectacular explosion at a fireworks warehouse in China, which has raised concerns over safety and clogged exports.

China supplies three-quarters of the world's fireworks. But a massive blast destroyed 15,000 cartons of pyrotechnics in southern China in February, leaving US vendors struggling to get their hands on sufficient supplies for this year's July 4 celebrations.

Concerned about safety, the Chinese authorities limited the flow of professional-grade fireworks to a mere handful of ports. Compounding the shortage, an embargo on the movement of explosives before the Beijing Olympics has complicated Britain's efforts to stock up for this November's Bonfire Night.

"I do suspect there will be a shortage of display fireworks," said John Woodhead, chairman of the British Fireworks Association. He expects large-scale professional displays to be hit worse than everyday back-garden fireworks.

Difficulties date back to an explosion in the city of Foshan, near Guangzhou, causing a blaze that spread to 20 warehouses and continued for 30 hours in February. More than a thousand local residents had to be evacuated.

The accident, which left four people injured, came at a critical time for US customers who want fireworks for Independence Day. This has prompted the US government to make representations to its Chinese counterparts.

Bob Richard, deputy associate administrator at the US department of transportation, told the New York Times that his department was urging the use of more ports. Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, estimates that Chinese exports of consumer fireworks are down by 35% this year, while the supply of fireworks for professional displays has dropped by 40%. She said the close-knit industry was clubbing together to ensure that everybody has a share of supplies.

Andy Hubble, chairman of the British Pyrotechnists' Association, said the shortfall in the US would "most likely be mirrored" in Britain.

Shipping woes cut down Chinese fireworks exports to the U.S.

2008-08-14T06:52:00.001-07:00

LIUYANG, China -- Chen Tiezhong will likely spend the Fourth of July -- America's Independence Day -
- worrying about the future of his sprawling fireworks factory. China, where fireworks were invented, is running short of ports from which to ship the dangerous cargoes abroad.
The day is a great occasion for fireworks across the U.S., and China's fireworks industry meets 98 percent of America's overall needs, and 80 percent of the pyrotechnics needed for professional displays. But the U.S. fireworks business stands to lose US$25 million to US$30 million this year because of lost orders, says Julie Heckman, executive director for the American Pyrotechnics Association.

A Missouri firm says it backed out of some shows because of the shortage. Meanwhile, some Chinese factories are being pushed close to bankruptcy.

"Our factory will be forced to close, whether we want it or not," said Chen Tiezhong at his sprawling 500-employee operation in Liuyang in central Hunan province.

His factory is one of 900 around this small city that is known as China's fireworks capital. A traffic circle features a massive metal sculpture of rockets soaring and bursting into flower-like shapes. The Chinese word for fireworks is "yanhua" or "smoke flowers."

Most of the factories are far from town, tucked safely away among the farms in surrounding hills and valleys.

Chen rattles off a litany of woes: micro-thin profit margins, rising labor costs and soaring prices for raw materials.

Now, the closure of some Chinese ports to fireworks may be the final straw.

In February, a blast at a fireworks warehouse led to a ban on fireworks shipments at the southern port of Sanshui, Guangdong province, which previously handled 20 percent of China's pyrotechnic exports.

Then, in late March, officials stopped fireworks shipments at Nanshan, another Guangdong port, after inspectors found explosives that had been declared as something else.

Guangdong may not allow fireworks shipments to resume, because the province is trying to shift its economy to more sophisticated goods.

Adding to the industry's woes, China has ordered major ports such as Shanghai and Hong Kong to suspend shipments of explosives as part of tightened security ahead of August's Beijing Olympics.

"It's been extremely difficult," Chen said. "There is simply no way out even if we're willing to pay 10,000 yuan (more than US$1,400) extra for each container."

In China, 30 to 40 percent of fireworks for overseas customers have not shipped, forcing many of the country's 7,000 factories to curtail or even stop taking overseas orders, said Liu Donghui, the secretary-general of China-based International Fireworks Association.

On the U.S. end, 10 percent to 15 percent of orders didn't show up, said Heckman.

China ordinarily sends 9,000 shipping containers of fireworks a year to the U.S., she said, and the shortfall "is by far the most difficult challenge the U.S. fireworks industry has had to face."

Fireworks Music Candle

2008-02-27T00:47:00.000-08:00

When you light the center of the fireworks music candle with a wooden stick, a flame appears that lights up the candle on the leaves in a sparkling fashion. In addition to this, it plays a Happy Birthday song

Feb 14,China Shanshui Warehouse explosive

2008-02-16T03:53:00.000-08:00

GUANGZHOU, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Firefighters in south China's Guangdong Province began to clear up the debris as explosions caused by fireworks stored in 20 warehouses in Foshan City waned on Friday.

Five people, including four warehouse guards, were questioned by police in connection with the incident, said a spokesman for Foshan's Sanshui District Communist Party of China (CPC) committee.

The State Administration of Work Safety has sent two commissioners and an expert to Sanshui to investigate.

Zhou Wei, a warehouse worker, told Xinhua the buildings have been used to store nothing other than fireworks since 2003, and electricity was never used for safety purposes. Experts said weather conditions and arson were possible causes for the explosions.

The blasts started around 3:30 a.m. on Thursday at the No. 7 building of the Yuetong Warehouse and Transport Co., a private firm based in Sanshui on the northern bank of the Pearl River. The explosions lasted more than 30 hours and also set a neighboring woods on fire, a Foshan government official said.

Only two people suffered slight bruises from broken glasses

2007-07-10T05:17:00.000-07:00

Fireworks light up the sky during celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland at the Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, on July 1, 2007.(Xinhua Photo)

A Radical opinion

2006-11-02T01:50:00.000-08:00

Boycott Chinese fireworks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: August 6, 2001
1:00 a.m. Eastern

WASHINGTON — Ten-year-old Zhang Yanhong knew that if she refused her teacher's orders, she could be forced to pay a fine or kneel on the classroom floor for hours. So the girl obeyed her teacher – and paid with her life.

What were the teacher's orders? To manufacture fireworks – fireworks that exploded, killing 42 people, most of them 3rd- and 4th-graders.

Last month I announced my campaign to boycott Chinese fireworks for celebrations next July 4.

Since then, I've learned the idea is better and more needed than ever.

It turns out Chinese fireworks made by forced child labor have come under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, according to Carl Olson, chairman of State Department Watch, a foreign policy watchdog group based in Washington.

The massive use of Chinese schoolchildren in the manufacturing of fireworks destined for the United States and, ironically, patriotic celebrations of freedom and justice, came to light following the explosion that killed 42 at the elementary school in Jiangxi province.

The children were tasked with daily producing 1,000 firecrackers each and the money from the business went to school officials.

The government blamed the horror on a lone madman. But relatives of the children complained for three years about school officials forcing their children to assemble fireworks during and after school.

State Department Watch brought the incident to the attention of the Labor Department.

Purchases by the federal government of goods made by forced child labor were banned earlier this year. The Department of Labor is responsible for identifying offending countries and products. To date the list includes only 11 products from two countries – Burma and Pakistan.

"This terrible abuse of schoolchildren cannot be permitted to continue," said Olson. "The federal government and the rest of the nation must refuse to support such forced labor."

Widespread use of schools for forced labor in China was described in the New China News Agency last year. According to a Los Angeles Times report from last March, 91 percent, or about 620,000, of China's secondary schools have some business run by the government officials, yielding $15 billion – nearly equal to the central government's entire education budget.

What does all this have to do with July 4 and fireworks in the United States?

Every year – at least in areas where selling fireworks is still legal – groups like churches, service clubs, schools, etc. raise money by selling fireworks to the public.

In 2001 for instance, fireworks sales totaled an estimated $650 million, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.

So what's wrong with selling fireworks? Am I worried about accidents?

Actually, no. In fact, while sales of fireworks are way up, fireworks-related injuries are way down – falling over 86 percent in the last 24 years.

No, my concern about all the fireworks sales in America is centered around where those pyrotechnic devices are manufactured – in China.

How can this nation celebrate its independence every year by supporting the evil empire in Beijing?

Every single fireworks package I see – at least those available to ordinary consumers – is marked "made in China." While there may be alternatives, I have never seen any.

So I want to set off some rhetorical fireworks here while we still have time to prepare for July 4, 2002. Let's boycott Chinese fireworks. Let's say no to distributing Chinese-made fireworks in the U.S. Let's celebrate Independence Day by supporting independence and freedom throughout the world – including China.

By the way, don't count on the Labor Department to do the right thing on this fireworks issue. Let's remember who is in charge as secretary – Elaine Chao, noted for her cozy ties to the Beijing leadership.

If you want to sound off in protest of the child labor in China, Olson advises the point of contact is: Maureen Jaffe, acting director, International Child Labor Program, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2431, Washington, DC 20210.

But I think it's time to take matters into our own hands. Don't wait for the government to act. Maybe it's not a big step – a dramatic step – but I think it's time to start reclaiming our national soul. A good first step would be for charitable organizations across America to swear off the sales of Chinese-made fireworks next summer.

Are you with me? If so, I'll keep hammering away at this theme and reminding you of the latest developments through next Independence Day.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Related offer:

"The China Threat," Bill Gertz's book about how People's Republic targets America, is available in WorldNetDaily's online store.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joseph Farah is founder, editor and CEO of WND and a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate. His latest book is "Taking America Back." He also edits the weekly online intelligence newsletter Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, in which he utilizes his sources developed over 30 years in the news business.

Fireworks performance celebrates PRC 57th birthday

2006-10-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

People watch the fireworks in Shanghai on Sept. 30, 2006 the eve of China's National Day to celebrate the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

People watch the fireworks in Shanghai on Sept. 30, 2006 the eve of China's National Day to celebrate the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The fireworks in Hong Kong on Oct.1, 2006 which is the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China attract hundreds of thousands of HK citizens.

The fireworks in Hong Kong on Oct.1, 2006 which is the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China attract hundreds of thousands of HK citizens.

China Fireworks bring joy, sorrow to Sping Festival

2006-09-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The return of fireworks to traditional Lunar New Year celebrations brought much joy to revelers, but also sorrow to some parts of the nation.

In Beijing, where a 12-year ban on fireworks had just been lifted, explosions injured 112 people, said the State Administration of Work Safety, quoted by Wednesday's China Daily.

Seventeen people suffered serious eye injuries, and another 26 were admitted to hospital with various types of wounds.

According to the Beijing News Daily, the city's environmental protection bureau collected 458 tons of waste fireworks on Jan. 29, the first day of the Lunar New Year.

In Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, firefighters rushedto extinguish 191 fires caused by fireworks on the Lunar New Year's Eve.

About 3,000 firefighters gave up the chance to spend the holiday with their families to remain on duty.

Experts said the lifting of the ban would help preserve traditional Chinese culture. But others said the return of fireworks would lead to more serious pollution, fires, injuries and deaths.

On Sunday, an explosion in Linzhou, a city in Henan Province, central China, killed 36 people and injured 48 others.

The explosion occurred when firecrackers in a storehouse were accidentally ignited, the State Administration of Work Safety saidin a statement.

Although there were disagreements, the governments in more than100 Chinese cities lifted the ban on fireworks last year.

Beijing also lifted the ban after a survey found that 70 percent of residents felt fireworks made the holiday period more festive.

The new rules allow Beijing residents to explore fireworks all day and all night on Jan. 28, and from 7 a.m. to midnight every day from Jan. 29 to Feb. 12.

With the aim of ensuring safety, about 3,000 police and community officers have been sent to patrol off-limits areas such as schools, retirement homes and sites of historic relics.

confetti is going to replace fireworks?

2006-09-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

All our confetti products are made of environment-friendly tissue or mylar material. With the feature of Easy-to-Use and Safe-to-Enjoy, our confetti products are regarded as A New Age of Flameless Fireworks! There is no need for our distributors to take the pain to obtain a pyrotechnic license. These fantastic confetti products will bring you amazing effects on all celebration occasions

The Ultimate Rockets

2006-09-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

It's a pyrotechnist's dream come true: 55,000 rockets blasting off at the same time. University of Plymouth's Roy Lowry chats about his attempt to break the simultaneous-rocket-firing world record. Wired News interview by Nigel Watson.

In mid-August, a U.K. chemistry professor attempted a Guinness World Record by launching 55,000 fireworks at the same time.

Roy Lowry of the University of Plymouth is waiting for official confirmation of his record, but before he lit the fuses, he told Wired News about the preparations.

Wired News: What type of rockets are you using?

Roy Lowry: Our rockets are quite small -- they are 7 inches long. They are standard rockets that you can buy in the shops; they are not special. We will be putting them into 15 specially built 4-feet-square wooden frames.

These frames have a mesh wire on the top and in the middle. The middle wire grid holds the stick of the rocket and the top grid holds the base of the rocket. The top grid is laced with something called "black match," which is basically gunpowder in a tube. This is an old-fashioned method of igniting the rockets.

We plan to get 4,000 rockets into each frame. There will be an electrical igniter for each frame and they will all be wired to a black box with the red firing button. On (Aug. 16), a team from Fantastic Fireworks and lads from the local Air Training Corps will put the fireworks in the frames. These will be counted by volunteers from Plymouth University and five bank tellers. There will be two witnesses to make sure that the rockets are counted properly, and they will decide if any re-counting is required.

WN: Do you foresee any particular problems?

Lowry: We do have several headaches. One problem is the weather: The slightest damp turns (the rockets) into duds. We are particularly vulnerable to the weather when we start stacking the rockets into their frames on the morning of the event. We have tarpaulins to cover them but this then makes it difficult for us to count the rockets.

Technically, this is not a difficult procedure, but we are dealing with rockets that amount to about a quarter ton of gunpowder all being set off at once. Since the rockets will be packed so close together -- roughly two rockets per square inch -- there is bound to be midair collisions. I'll be launching them wearing a visor and hard hat for safety reasons. There will only be me and a video camera within the 100-meter exclusion zone.

Afterwards, any rockets that do not launch will be deducted from the number we put in the frames. I figure we should launch at least 55,000. To find out if we get the record we have to submit a package of evidence, and it will take six weeks to find out if you have broken the record or not.

WN: What made you try this record attempt in particular?

Lowry: I was in a hot office marking coursework when Plymouth City Council asked me to come to a meeting to discuss this and it was a great draw.... When they asked me for ideas, I suggested going for an established record. This record had stood for eight years and was ready for knocking.

WN: Was this difficult to organize?

Lowry: The current record holder, Terry McDonald, launched 39,210 rockets in 1997 at the Battle of Flowers Moonlight Parade in the Channel Islands. I rang him up and he gave me plenty of helpful advice. He said he had planned to launch 40,000 rockets but 790 failed to ignite.

Within days of deciding to go ahead with this project, Black Cat Fireworks offered to provide the rockets. The Guinness World Records rules say that they must be individual rockets that are designed to reach an altitude of 30 meters (100 feet), and they all must take off within a five-second window. So we were given a lorry load of rockets, which amounts to about 60,000 rockets.

Another company, Fantastic Fireworks, provided the frames and fusing, and Plymouth City Council have helped organize things and fund us. The Event Services Association TESA have also worked on the risk-assessment, logistics, crowd control, health and safety issues.

Tighter controls loom for public sale of fireworks

2006-09-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

Tighter controls loom for public sale of fireworks

Auckland City's Economic Development and Sustainable Business Committee has agreed to support work being carried out by central government to address public concerns about the sale and use of fireworks.

Led by the Ministry for the Environment with the Environmental Risk Management Authority and Auckland police and fire services, a paper recommending a range of fireworks regulations and measures will be presented to the Cabinet calling for tighter controls.

Councillor Richard Northey, committee chairperson says the council supports this central government work programme and will notify the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Auckland Issues accordingly.

"Harmful incidents from fireworks are escalating annually. The central government's work programme is all about reducing these occurrences and protecting public safety.

"We believe that appropriate changes to fireworks regulations should reduce the amount of damage to people, property and pets stemming from the deliberate misuse of fireworks that occurs every Guy Fawkes season," Mr Northey said. In response to calls of concern from community boards, police, the fire service, SPCA and other groups over the irresponsible use of fireworks, the council has agreed to another temporary ban in public space along Tamaki Drive for Guy Fawkes from 3 - 5 November 2006.

The ban covers all beaches and parks along Tamaki Drive - Watene Reserve, Okahu Bay, Orakei Domain, Whenua Rangatira (Bastion Point), Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, Selwyn Domain, Kohimarama Beach, Vellenoweth Green, St Heliers Bay Beach, Ladies Bay and Achilles Point.

"We don't want to stop people having fun and celebrating Guy Fawkes but we do have a responsibility to minimise the rise of injuries and the impact on animals," says Mr Northey.

The ban does not apply to fireworks on private property.

Chemistry of Firework Colors

2006-07-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Chemistry of Firework Colors

A Marriage of Art and Science

Creating firework colors is a complex endeavor, requiring considerable art and application of physical science. Excluding propellants or special effects, the points of light ejected from fireworks, termed 'stars', generally require an oxygen-producer, fuel, binder (to keep everything where it needs to be), and color producer. There are two main mechanisms of color production in fireworks, incandescence and luminescence.

Incandescence

Incandescence is light produced from heat. Heat causes a substance to become hot and glow, initially emitting infrared, then red, orange, yellow, and white light as it becomes increasingly hotter. When the temperature of a firework is controlled, the glow of components, such as charcoal, can be manipulated to be the desired color (temperature) at the proper time. Metals, such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, burn very brightly and are useful for increasing the temperature of the firework.

Luminescence

Luminescence is light produced using energy sources other than heat. Sometimes luminescence is called 'cold light', because it can occur at room temperature and cooler temperatures. To produce luminescence, energy is absorbed by an electron of an atom or molecule, causing it to become excited, but unstable. When the electron returns to a lower energy state the energy is released in the form of a photon (light). The energy of the photon determines its wavelength or color.

Sometimes the salts needed to produce the desired color are unstable. Barium chloride (green) is unstable at room temperatures, so barium must be combined with a more stable compound (e.g., chlorinated rubber). In this case, the chlorine is released in the heat of the burning of the pyrotechnic composition, to then form barium chloride and produce the green color. Copper chloride (blue), on the other hand, is unstable at high temperatures, so the firework cannot get too hot, yet must be bright enough to be seen.

Quality

Pure colors require pure ingredients. Even trace amounts of sodium impurities (yellow-orange) are sufficient to overpower or alter other colors. Careful formulation is required so that too much smoke or residue doesn't mask the color. With fireworks, as with other things, cost often relates to quality. Skill of the manufacturer and date the firework was produced greatly affect the final display (or lack thereof).

Color Compound
Red strontium salts, lithium salts
lithium carbonate, Li2CO3 = red
strontium carbonate, SrCO3 = bright red
Orange calcium salts
calcium chloride, CaCl2
calcium sulfate, CaSO4·xH2O, where x = 0,2,3,5
Gold incandescence of iron (with carbon), charcoal, or lampblack
Yellow sodium compounds
sodium nitrate, NaNO3
cryolite, Na3AlF6
Electric White white-hot metal, such as magnesium or aluminum
barium oxide, BaO
Green barium compounds + chlorine producer
barium chloride, BaCl+ = bright green
Blue copper compounds + chlorine producer
copper acetoarsenite (Paris Green), Cu3As2O3Cu(C2H3O2)2 = blue
copper (I) chloride, CuCl = turquoise blue
Purple mixture of strontium (red) and copper (blue) compounds
Silver burning aluminum, titanium, or magnesium powder or flakes

China Fireworks

2006-07-19T03:10:00.000-07:00

It is a tradition in China to welcome the New Year with fireworks. At midnight, the sky is lit up by fireworks, which symbolize the sending out of the old and the ushering in the new.

Firecrackers are set off as soon as the New Year arrives. You can hear or see firecrackers everywhere and this usually lasts for a few hours. Some people continue to play firecrackers occasionally throughout the first half of the first month. Traditionally fireworks are the sign of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. However, fireworks are now banned in China, so this tradition is history.

Chinese fireworks are special and they are produced on a commercial scale. Chinese firecrackers are exported to all parts of the world. The firecrackers called stars are contained in nearly every firework and burn in the sky to produce the effect. These stars are rolled in special drums or pressed into small cylinders. Stars in a shell are usually considered the most impressive firework in a display. They produce big bursts of color in the sky. Shells are made in 2 halves and then closed together. A finished 300mm shell will fire about 300 meters into the sky and burst before burning for more than 20 seconds.

China's fireworks industry suffers hundreds of deaths every year in fires and explosions. The industry employs thousands of people, often in poor rural areas, who do much of the work by hand. The death rate keeps soaring despite repeated government promises to tighten safety. The fatality rate usually surges as producers rush to fill orders for the Lunar New Year, which comes in January. Chinese celebrate by setting off billions of firecrackers.

The government has said that it would close fireworks factories that lack modern equipment and ban production in homes, but it is not clear how effectively those restrictions can be enforced.

Fireworks industry gets banged up

2006-07-18T23:55:00.000-07:00

pyrotechnics operators like Jim Souza, the job has always been a balance of work and fun, preparation and payoff.

But in recent years, what had been a cool way of helping communities celebrate has turned taxing and burdensome. Industry leaders say this has been the most challenging Fourth of July season in memory.

One of the most pressing concerns has been the lack of shipping carriers transporting fireworks from overseas manufacturers. All but one has halted shipments of large fireworks following a recent fire and explosion aboard a liner carrying a shipment of fireworks.

In addition, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, have weighed heavily on the industry, whose explosives have received the same level of scrutiny applied to other industries dealing with dangerous materials. Insurance premiums have also jumped sharply because of safety concerns.

Despite the recent travails, this year’s fireworks shows are expected to go off without a hitch. But pyrotechnicians are worried about future shows.

“ We’re here to light up the sky and make everyone happy to celebrate the Fourth of July, but it’s just a tough time for us, ” said Souza, owner of Pyro Spectaculars and a fifth-generation pyrotechnician. “ It’s become a lot more expensive and difficult to put (the shows ) on. ”

For one thing, his company and others were having a hard time getting their hands on fireworks, most of which are manufactured in China. The flow of supplies slowed after a March 21 explosion aboard the Hyundai Fortune, a container ship that was traveling through the Indian Ocean from Asia to Europe. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but the presence of fireworks led Hyundai and five other shipping companies to place a moratorium on the transport of large fireworks.

Only one company, Maersk, is shipping public-display fireworks explosives. The sudden turn of events caused a great amount of consternation among display operators, who were forced to reroute shipments and pray for their arrival in time.

Some bought supplies from bigger rivals with large inventories while others, like John Weiter, the owner of Gateway Fireworks Displays in St. Louis, waited it out. Weiter said his shipment arrived a couple of weeks ago. Normally it would have arrived by April.

Bengt Henriksen, a president of Quality Logistics, a San Carlos fireworks importer, said there was no evidence the Hyundai explosion was caused by fireworks. He said an investigation he commissioned found the fire began below deck, while the fireworks were stored on the top of the ship.

He said the moratorium has been a huge imposition. Even after rerouting the shipments on Maersk ships, fireworks operators have run into regulations that limit the amount of fireworks that can be transported on a ship.

“ There are probably 500 containers of fireworks stranded in China that are not coming in for July 4 because of this, ” said Henriksen, who handles shipments for a majority of the fireworks operators in the United States.

“ This is a long-term problem, ” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the Pyrotechnics Association of America. “ We got through this Fourth of July, but we might not get through the next if we don’t figure out how to get the product here. ”

How it works

2006-07-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

Robert Noyce, Deseret Morning News The control box ignites the lift charge, which propels the shell 500-600 feet into the air.

Mortars

2006-07-18T04:31:00.000-07:00

Robert Noyce, Deseret Morning News Steel tubes — or mortars — are used to launch fireworks. The tubes are the same diameter as the shell and three times as long. The firework must fit snugly to enable gases to build up and launch the shell.
Mortars are usually lined up in racks filled with sand. Tubes are buried three quarters of their length into the sand.
Fireworks are fired electronically. Complex displays require fuses be hooked to a computer, which fires shells in sequence.

Display shells ---fireworks

2006-07-18T04:28:00.000-07:00

Shells

Robert Noyce, Deseret Morning News Contrary to popular belief, fireworks are not rockets but shells that are propelled with black powder from steel tubes (mortars).
Round shells contain a single display, such as a chrysanthemum, waterfall or ring pattern.
Cylindrical shells (multibreak) contain multiple displays that can produce more random pattern and colors. Some shells can have up to 16 effects.
Screeching and whistling noises are produced by a substance that oscillates as it burns.
Multibreak fireworks contain several cardboard compartments. Bursting charges in each compartment ignite and propel stars through the air.
The more resistant the cardboard compartment is to the explosion, the larger the display.
Explosive sounds are created by placing a sound charge in the shell. This is achieved by adding a mixture of perchlorate to the shell.
Patterns are determined by how stars are positioned in the shell.

Black powder & Stars of fireworks

2006-07-18T04:25:00.000-07:00

Black powder

The main component of fireworks is black powder, which is composed of 75 percent saltpeter (potassium nitrate), 15 percent charcoal and 10 percent sulfur.

Stars

Stars are jawbreaker-size lumps of compressed black powder. They produce flashes of color when combined with other chemicals and ignited.

Fireworks: How they work and where they came from---2

2006-07-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

Facts
2002 Winter Olympics fireworks display.
Fireworks must be handmade because of the possibility of sparks from machinery. Individuals have to wear all-cotton clothing to prevent sparks from static electricity.

220 million pounds of fireworks were used in the United States in 2003.

The Boston July 4 fireworks display, one of the largest in the country, uses 3.5 tons of fireworks and employs 5,700 mortars to fire them.

The average length of a fireworks display 30 years ago was an hour compared to the current time of 20 minutes.

The Chinese word for fireworks is "yan hua" or "fiery flower."

The display for the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1984 used 40,000 shells on five barges.

· · · · ·

kitchen god

2006-07-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

The Chinese believed a kitchen god made annual reports to heaven on a family's behavior. Punishments included a shortened life. Firecrackers were set off to honor the god.

Fireworks: How they work and where they came from---1

2006-07-17T02:21:00.000-07:00

The ancient Chinese believed that fireworks' loud bang could scare off evil spirits and ghosts, and eventually, their use was incorporated into all types of celebrations, including births and deaths. European kings valued fireworks so much they appointed "Fire Masters" to provide elaborate shows. England's James II was so pleased with his that he knighted him. Today we celebrate a number of holidays and special events with fireworks. It's ironic, however, that the objects that provide so much visual pleasure also provide the nucleus for one of man's most destructive inventions: gunpowder.

The Chinese believed a kitchen god made annual reports to heaven on a family's behavior. Punishments included a shortened life. Firecrackers were set off to honor the god. History Most historians agree the origins of gunpowder can be traced to ancient China, although some evidence shows the Greeks and the east Indians may have also had some form of black powder by the 8th century. Stories attribute gunpowder's discovery to either a Chinese cook accidentally mixing common kitchen items or an alchemist working to find the elixir of life. By the 10th century, a Chinese monk from the Hunan Province named Li Tian discovered that packing the powder into a paper tube would produce a loud bang. His invention is remembered annually with a celebration on April 18. The province is still a major production center. Firecrackers and fireworks soon gained popularity in religious ceremonies and as a way to celebrate a number of occasions. By the 13th century, Marco Polo and, by some accounts, the Crusaders brought fireworks and black powder to Europe. As the fascination with fireworks grew, so did the development of cannons and guns. The English scientist Roger Bacon (1214-1292), published a formula for producing fireworks or "thunder and lightning." Many European courts were known for their elaborate fireworks displays, including Elizabeth I and James II, who had their own "Fire Masters." Various European families emerged as leaders in such displays. The Grucci, Rozzi and Zambelli families continue the tradition to this day. Fireworks remained relatively unchanged until the 19th century, when chemicals were added for color. There have also been recent improvements in color and visual effects.

National Night Out celebration to include parade, fireworks

2006-07-17T02:11:00.000-07:00

Festivities will begin with a parade and end with a fireworks display.
NEW MIDDLETOWN — Officials have set the village's annual National Night Out celebration for Aug. 1.
The event has grown each year and an estimated 1,200 hot dogs were served at last year's festivities. Village officials are planning to provide more grills this time to avoid last year's long lines.
The celebration is designed to heighten awareness of crime prevention, generate support for local anti-crime efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and the police-community partnership and let criminals know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
Police Sgt. Ken Goist, New Middletown's police community coordinator, said residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors and police Aug. 1.
Goist said the evening will start with lineup at 5:45 p.m. at Springfield High School for a parade that starts at 6:30 and proceeds to St. Paul the Apostle Church on state Route 170.
Afterward, a cookout and other activities will take place at the municipal building and adjacent Welker Park.
Some of the planned activities include a rappelling demonstration by the Youngstown Fire Department on the village water tower, a Life Flight exhibit, a raffle and music.
At 9:15 p.m. there will be a flashlight walk from the police department to the high school where B.J. Alan will present fireworks at 10 p.m.
Goist said National Night Out, which will be celebrated in more than 10,000 communities, is the nation's largest annual crime prevention event and is sponsored by National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored locally by the New Middletown Police Department.

Car show, fireworks help promote drug/alcohol awareness

2006-07-17T02:08:00.000-07:00

Activities for Drug and Alcohol Awareness/Safety Month in June were concluded with a free car show and fireworks. More than 100 cars participated in the show that included hot rods, antiques, classics, street machines, low riders, Corvettes, muscle cars and PT Cruisers. The car that came the farthest was from Wellsboro. The drivers passed the King’s crown for a collection that was given to Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Service. From left are Capt. Bill Berlew, Wyoming Valley Cruising Cruisers, co-chairman of Car Show Participants; Carmen F. Ambrosino, CEO Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services; Vince Aquilina, Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services; Daniel J. Beky, detective, Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office; Jim Yurick, National Award Winning PT Cruiser owner, Oneida; Tim “KING” Nulton, WVCC & State Director Chrysler’s PT Owners Club, co-chairman of Cars Show Participants

Fireworks tradition vs. law-enforcement insanity

2006-07-17T02:02:00.000-07:00

When is the city of Greeley going to wake up to the need of opening areas around town where residents can go to enjoy setting off fireworks on our national holiday?Independence Day came and again we in Greeley were bombarded with news items on the airwaves regarding the illegality of fireworks in our fair city. "Big fines await those scofflaws who disregard the warnings," we are told. I already knew how it was going to go down and you did, too! We'd see the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air (over our homes) from one end of town to the other the night of July 4.Why do we continue down this path of insanity (defined as doing the same thing over and over expecting different results)? Trying to stop fireworks on July 4 everywhere in any U.S. city is pretty much impossible. Keeping families from enjoying fireworks on this holiday is almost like trying to ban gift giving on Dec. 25. Why not designate areas where it is legal?I've heard the excuses and promises from the fire marshal and police about how they'll round up the "lawbreakers" by sending out fire trucks and police cruisers to patrol the streets. Then, note this, whenever they drive through a neighborhood where fireworks discharges have been reported, they are seen coming, the activity stops and they don't catch anyone in an illegal act. They can't prove anything, of course, because they can be seen coming from blocks away. Besides, how fair is it to have such stiff fines leveled against a few you may catch while thousands of others are getting off scot-free all because they celebrate Independence Day traditionally!Most everyone of my generation who is reading this (born in the 1950s) can plainly remember, as a child, setting off fireworks as a major part of the Independence Day celebration. City ordinances banning fireworks, if they existed at all, were designed to tolerate people's desire to celebrate the tradition. Today in Greeley -- an all-American town and host of the largest Fourth of July rodeo and parade in the country -- we have a big inequity. People who prohibit themselves or their children from the use of fireworks are forced to see and listen to fireworks set off by people who don't obey the law. That always irritated me when my children were younger. I'm sure there are plenty of young families out there going through the same dilemma.I complained of this whole matter in a column for the Tribune several years ago. Nothing has changed. I have a couple of steps to take and submit them as follows:« Designate a portion of our city parks to be fireworks legal areas on July 4 each year. This will ensure that people wanting to abide by the law will be able to do so.« Send out police or firefighters in plain clothes (and plain cars) around neighborhoods to prosecute illegal firework usage.With the first suggestion in place, the number of scofflaws should be reduced and easier to spot.I am tired of the same old same old. It is past time to try something new for this problem. Please stop talking about enforcement of laws that you have no good way of enforcing.Frank Copeland was raised in small-town Kansas by a flag-loving World War II combat veteran. He and his wife are proud of their four children, two pairs of twins, and five grandchildren, all living in Greeley and Fort Collins. The Copelands are 16-year Greeley residents and glad to call it home.

Fireworks issue on city slate

2006-07-17T01:58:00.000-07:00

A new city ordinance could limit the number of days people in Parsons can legally shoot fireworks.
Parsons city commissioners plan to discuss a new fireworks ordinance Monday that would cut the number of days for the sale and use of fireworks from eight to four, July 1 to 4 each year. The ordinance, which is requested by Fire Chief Tim Hay, also would cut the hours fireworks are allowed to be discharged from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. to 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and ban the use of fireworks in all city parks.
The city formerly allowed the use of fireworks for July 1 to 4, but commissioners changed the ordinance to allow people to begin discharging fireworks as soon as distributors could sell them. Hay said Parsons has a longer sale and discharge period than any other city around.
The proposed ordinance also would cap the amount of time fireworks dealers in the city are allowed to store fireworks and require them to show proof of sales tax registration and obtain a permit to sell fireworks.
City Commissioner Bill Wheat said he's amazed at the number of cities that don't allow fireworks to be discharged at all. He said that number is growing.
Commissioners are not expected to vote on the proposed ordinance Monday.
In other business, commissioners will have a public hearing concerning 24 structures that have been deemed dangerous. They will then later consider a resolution that will place the structures on the city's demolition list.
The commission will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the commission room at the Parsons Municipal Building.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, commissioners will consider:
- Approving a partnership with Labette County Medical Center's emergency medical services to request a Homeland Security Grant that would be used to buy a disaster response truck and equipment that would cost $423,569. The Parsons Fire Department and LCMC EMS would have to respond with the truck to disasters anywhere in Southeast Kansas and possibly anywhere in the state if requested. The fire department could use the truck every day within the city.
Commissioners were concerned Thursday about possibly being obligated to respond to disasters anywhere in the state, such as an ice storm in western Kansas. They were also concerned about the fact that there is no time frame on how long the city would be required to maintain the truck.
- Approving an extension on a purchase agreement on a vintage, wooden Frisco Railroad caboose to be placed in Marvel Park near a jogging, walking and biking trail to be built. The city will have to pay $500 for the extension to Nov. 30. That amount will be taken off of the price of the caboose. Commissioners on Thursday were having second thoughts on the caboose purchase.
- Accepting a base bid and three alternatives for a total of $392,837.70 for a resurfacing project along Main and 16th streets. The Kansas Department of Transportation will pay up to $200,000 on the project.
- Approving the sale of the city's building at 1801 S. 21st to Tank Connections, which now rents the property, for $128,000. The city bought the building for $190,000 from the former Wichita Southeast Kansas Transit when that company moved. The building is now worth $245,000, and Tank Connections has invested $36,977 in it.
- Approving payment of $146,315.81 to LaForge and Budd Construction Co. for work on the new wastewater treatment plant.
- Approving payment of $20,422.86 to TranSystems Corp. for design services for the reconstruction of a runway at Tri-City Airport. They will also consider paying TranSystems $26,615.42 for construction engineering and inspection services on the runway project.
- Accepting a bid of $128,400 from LaForge and Budd Construction Co. for lagoon cleaning at the water treatment plant.
- Approving an ordinance that would vacate an alley that was platted but never construction in the 900 block of North 16th on the west side of the road. Hai and Aurora Do have requested the alley be vacated so they can erect a new building for their restaurant, Chinese Chef.
- Approving payment to Forbes Construction in the amount of $21,122.25 for construction of a home at 1307 S. 26th.
- Approving the final plat for Hammans Subdivision, which is the property containing the Townsman Motel and storage units.
- Re-appointing Riley Cartwright to the Parsons Recreation Commission with a term to expire July 1, 2010.

Will state’s new fireworks law fizzle?

2006-07-17T01:54:00.000-07:00

State officials have found their ears are ringing after the first Fourth of July with legalized fireworks.
After touring the state this week to tout the state’s emerging budget surplus, Gov. Mitch Daniels said Friday he was also confronted by voters who were lit up over the state’s decision to legalize
fireworks.
Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, a long-time critic of legalized fireworks, said he will sponsor an outright ban in the next session. He has received calls and letters from voters kept up by a barrage of neighborhood displays.
“This was the worst year, yet. It shows the stranglehold the fireworks industry has over the General Assembly,” Brown said.
Brown was able to amend language into the law that will require the Indiana Health Department to track firework-related injuries. No data has been released yet.
The governor expects the issue to come back before lawmakers when they return in January. He could back allowing local communities to set their own restrictions.
Daniels also made clear he still backs the legalization.
“The new law may need improvement, but it was improvement,” Daniels said.
The 2006 law lifted the smoke on a hazy gray market in Indiana. The old law made fireworks technically illegal, but widely available, by allowing fireworks stores to sell to customers willing to sign a form that said they were taking them out of state.
The governor’s support for the bill broke a logjam and allowed a compromise to come to a vote on the last afternoon of the session earlier this year. At the time, he touted it as a public safety bill because it included a 5 percent fee on fireworks sales, which will pay for statewide firefighter training.
Shellshocked residents, who may not have followed the bill as it snaked through the General Assembly, are questioning why the state opted to lift the loose restrictions rather than clamp down.
“Thanks to the new rules, it was bombs away, beginning as early as 9 a.m. and going until midnight. We seem to be living among pyromaniacs,” said Mark Ashmann of Griffith, who was one of 10 readers who challenged legalization in letters published Thursday in the Post-Tribune.
Jim and Gail Burnette, who live near Hebron, said Independence Day revelry got a little absurd this year, in the wake of legalization.
“Way more of those really big fireworks, the kind where you’re not sure if it’s a shotgun or a bomb or what,” Gail Burnette said. “You can say people are going to light them off one way or another, but it was never like this before.”
“We would prefer there to be some controls in place,” Jim Burnette said. “We would welcome that.”
But Christine Adamek of Wheatfield opposes any government move to circumscribe fireworks usage. The recent legalization was long overdue, she said.
“It’s fun for the kids, and people are going to do it anyway. The government has more important things to outlaw, like war.
“That’s like saying the Fourth of July is illegal. Let people be responsible for regulating themselves.”
Yet even supporters of the bill are taking notice of complaints. Taking a cue from the governor, Sen. Vic Heinold, R-Kouts, said he expects to sponsor compromise legislation that would allow communities greater authority to regulate fireworks in their area.
“I’m seeing now that maybe this is not a situation where one size fits all,” Heinold said.
He has received no complaints from rural areas, where the nearest neighbors may be more than an acre away. But in communities like Valparaiso, people have complained about the noise and potential danger.
He said he was caught off guard. During the session, he heard very little opposition to the legalization, he said.
Rep. Robert Kuzman, D-Crown Point, who voted for the bill in committee and again on the floor, also issued a release saying he supported local control.
During the session, lawmakers did have the chance to add firepower to the bill.
Senators voted down provisions that would have given communities the option of banning fireworks or further limiting hours.
They also turned down an amendment that would have made shooters liable for any damage caused by wayward bottle rockets and Roman candles.
The law did make it a crime to knowingly misuse fireworks, with the penalty rising all the way to a Class C felony if someone is killed.
The bill passed with sizable majority in both chambers. Brown said many supporters were lured mainly by wanting to create a fire academy for the first time in Indiana, rather than desire to legalize fireworks.
While supporters of legalized fireworks, including the governor, begin to hedge as the sound of exploding bottle rockets is replaced by complaints from angry neighbors, at least one dealer pointed out that someone must be happy with the change, considering business was, well, booming after the ban was lifted.
“The majority of the people I saw shopping this year were families with kids and a wife,” said George Dovellos, who opened Firework Frenzy on U.S. 30 in Hobart this year.
Dovellos said he sympathizes with people who don’t want fireworks going off while they sleep. He said they could support tougher restrictions on hours, though a ban just wouldn’t work.
“If people want to use them, you can’t put everyone in jail,” he said.
Contact Steve Walsh at 648-3120 or swalsh@post-trib.com
Who voted to legalize fireworks
State Senate
Yes
Vic Heinold, R-Kouts
Brandt Hershman, R-Wheatfield
Frank Mrvan Jr., D-Hammond
Earline S. Rogers, D-Gary
Samuel Smith, D-East Chicago
Karen Tallian, D-Portage
No
Anita Bowser, D-Michigan City
Sue Landske, R-Cedar Lake
House of Representatives
Yes
Ralph Ayres, R-Chesterton
Mary K. Budak, R-LaPorte
Robert Kuzman, D-Crown Point
Don Lehe, R-Brookston
Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City
No
John Aguilera, D-East Chicago
Charlie Brown, D-Gary
Duane Cheney, D-Portage
Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville
Earl Harris, D-East Chicago
Linda Lawson, D-Hammond
Dan C. Stevenson, D-Highland
Vernon Smith, D-Gary
Area cities, towns react
n Schererville Town Manager Bob Volkmann said the council passed a resolution at its last council meeting asking the governor and legislators to scrap the current fireworks law and rewrite one that gives local government some control. “I don’t know if you ever want to eliminate fireworks, but there has to be some limitations,” Volkmann said. “People’s peace and enjoyment is being destroyed.”
n Crown Point Mayor Dan Klein said the city would look at its options if the law were to change, but he didn’t see much that changed since the new law went into effect. “I’m not convinced anything changed, you just don’t have to sign the sheet anymore,” he said. He said his office received a few noise complaints after the Fourth, but no more than normal.
n Tim Brown, Merrillville town manager, said, “We (town administration) probably received a half dozen or dozen complaints, some calls, some e-mail, but not that many, but I bet (Police Chief) Nick (Bravos) had a bunch of them. “We’re going to recommend changes to the statute, because the law they wrote is a 365-day law and that is where our concerns lie. It’s a little too open-ended.”
n Chesterton Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski said the town received four or five calls from residents who are unhappy
with the new law. “Most of them don’t like that people can have access to fireworks so easily
and that people were shooting them off for a long period of time,” she said. “But by state law, there’s nothing we can do about it.” It was brought up at last week’s Police Commission meeting and Polakowski said she believes the topic will be broached at the next Town Council meeting.
n Hobart Code Enforcement Supervisor Carroll Lewis likes the idea of regulating fireworks use locally. “It’s better to have a strict ordinance in place for extreme cases than not having one at all,” he said. The City Council however has not discussed any fireworks legislation. He said the city has responded to at least two property damage complaints caused by M-80s or a similar explosive device.
n While Burns Harbor officials said their calls go through Porter County, Police Chief Jerry Price said from his own experience, July Fourth was “like the siege at Khe sahn when I was in Vietnam.” Price, who lives in South Haven, said the fireworks there were “the most unbelievable, intense, and relentless. They started prior to sundown and went to 2 a.m. I hope I never have to see it again.” As for the new fireworks law, Price said, “My only question is, what were they thinking?”
n Valparaiso leaders were prepared to write a resolution calling for state leaders to abolish the law. City Councilman John Bowker, who initiated the move, said the tone of that resolution now will change. “Rather than demanding an immediate cessation, we’ll probably join in on the move,” Bowker said. Bowker estimated he was contacted by close to 50 people, be it in person, on the telephone or via e-mail, complaining about fireworks.

Keep Cathedral City 'safe and sane' by maintaining fireworks ban

2006-07-17T01:47:00.000-07:00

Keep Cathedral City 'safe and sane' by maintaining fireworks ban
The IssueCathedral City no longer allows the sale of “safe and sane” fireworks.
WE SUGGEST
City leaders shouldn’t resurrect an ordinance allowing those sales to continue.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Should Cathedral City allow “safe and sane” fireworks? Send comments via the Web: www.thedesertsun.com/letters
SHARE YOUR MEMORIES
Tell us how Gary Bosworth shaped your thinking and life or share an anecdote that showed the kind of man he was. Send them via e-mail to: rob.bignell@thedesertsun.com
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The Desert Sun
July 16, 2006
July 16, 2006
It's time to douse the fireworks in Cathedral City.
The city's ordinance allowing "safe and sane" fireworks expired July 5, but some youth and school groups in the city want it renewed. That would allow fireworks which do not launch into the air, move on the ground or shoot flames.
City leaders should play it safe and resist resurrecting the ordinance. Fireworks injure children, cause fires and annoy neighbors. And with the flow of illegal fireworks through the community, allowing the small stuff makes the police department's job all that more difficult.
Last year, fireworks sent about 4,800 children to emergency rooms across the United States. Interestingly, "safe and sane" firecrackers and sparklers rank as the two leading fireworks that cause injuries. Granted, with common sense, injuries can be avoided, and every year many good parents make sure they are. But nearly half of all fireworks injuries occur outside of the Fourth of July holiday season. Children often get their hands on fireworks when parents aren't around.
Fireworks also are a fire hazard, and that's especially true in our desert valley. Last year fireworks caused 79 fires across Riverside County. To prevent fires from breaking out among dry leaves and grass, we place anti-spark devices on our leaf blowers and lawn mowers. So why would we light sparklers - which burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees, hot enough to melt some metals?
Banning all fireworks also means a quieter July 5 for many city residents. There's no constant barrage of bang-pop-bang at all hours of the night from the teenagers next door or down the street.
A blanket no tolerance policy makes the police department's job of catching those who use fireworks that aren't "safe and sane" and to enforce noise ordinances easier. When all fireworks are banned, the overwhelming majority of city residents will give them up out of respect for the law. Of course, some still will insist on lighting everything from caps to M-80s. With fewer incidences of fireworks going off, however, police will be able to better locate those who insist on exploding what amounts to small bombs.
We feel for the few Cathedral City civic and school clubs who depend on fireworks sales as fundraisers. The Boys and Girls Club in Cathedral City made about $15,000 this year from fireworks sales. But we also hope they recognize the irony of selling fireworks while devoting those dollars to children's well-being.
These youth and school groups are run by smart, resourceful people, and we're confident they can come up with alternative fundraisers.

China Fireworks Factory & Exporter

2006-07-17T01:45:00.000-07:00

Fireworks displays were originally developed, according to most scholars, in the second century BC, in ancient Liuyang , China .Now China Liuyang Fireworks is very famous in the world.
2000 years ago the Chinese have made the first China fireworks by packing saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal into bamboo tubes. This is the earliest known use of black powder as the mixture has since come to be known, when it, the noise produced so impressed the Chinese that they were convinced fireworks could drive away evil sprits.Today's most awesome fireworks show pack more “ouus” and “ahs” than ever before. The sight of whole batteries of display shells being launches is matched only in the sky by the chest thumping blasts of exploding color. Skilled pyro technicians have brought computers and electronic igniters to their time honored art to create these amazing displays of pyro wizardry.As one of the 1 st rate professional fireworks companies in the manufacturing & exportation of fireworks products, we have built a good reputation for top quality in both of professional & consumer fireworks industry. Our products are well-known and appreciated by enthusiasts over this world.Coupled with our lengthy experience within the pyortechnist industry, we are able to meet every pyro fanatic's demands. With a product range that offers both indoor products and outdoor products. our aim is to make your celebration a special one. We not only caters for the professional pyrotechnic but also for those who just want to add a sparkle to their celebrations.Buy best quality pyrotechnics products at excellent prices. Go through our online catalogue for the latest in pyrotechnics – Selection Box, Roman Candles, Fountain, Shot Cake, Rockets, Air Bomb, Wheel, magic shot, ground spinners, match crackers, cone, Sparklers and much more.

Negaunee Fireworks To Continue

2006-07-17T01:34:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of Negaunee's Pioneer Days is the annual fireworks show on Teal Lake. This is the twentieth year of the celebration's pyrotechnics, which is scheduled for Saturday night.
There have been rumors that this is the final Pioneer Days with fireworks because Marty Fountain is stepping down as organizer after this year, but he is setting the record straight.
"We've got two guys that have been with the crew for about 15 years or more that will be here, so I don't see a problem at all. There's a lot of young guys out there that want to help. We'll be going for years to come," says Marty.
He also says that fundraising efforts are steady, but money is always needed since there is also a winter show.
This year's event will also have some new displays in the 20-minute show.

Use caution with fireworks

2006-07-17T01:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend and during the next couple of days, a lot of folks are going to be lighting up - fireworks, that is.While statistically there are a small number of injuries related to fireworks, it's always better to err on the side of caution.
To help you celebrate safely this Fourth of July, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Council on Fireworks Safety offer the following safety tips:€ Always read and follow label directions.
€ Have an adult present.€ Buy from reliable sellers.€ Use outdoors only.€ Always have water handy (a garden hose and a bucket).€ Never experiment or make your own fireworks.€ Light only one firework at a time.€ Never re-light a "dud" firework (wait 15 to 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water).€ Never give fireworks to small children.€ If necessary, store fireworks in a cool, dry place.€ Dispose of fireworks properly by soaking them in water and then disposing of them in your trashcan.€ Never throw or point fireworks at other people.€ Never carry fireworks in your pocket.€ Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers.€ The shooter should always wear eye protection and never have any part of the body over the firework.€ Stay away from illegal explosives.Use common sense and caution, and enjoy a safe holiday weekend and a safe Fourth of July.

Fireworks Safety

2006-07-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

Every year you hear the warnings, but unfortunately, people still aren't getting the message -- the dangers of fireworks.
In Washington, it took firefighters nearly nine hours to knock out flames at an abandoned school overnight.
Fireworks can be beautiful in the proper hands, but can be destructive and even deadly if not handled properly.
"The fire warped the siding of my house. It was the most horrible thing I've ever experienced in my life because I really thought it was going to burn my house. I was really scared that night," homeowner Lupe Rangel said.
Rangel saw the next-door neighbor's house on fire in the early morning hours of New Year's Day.
"The children were playing in the street, and they were popping fireworks. I think one must of gone that way," Rangel said.
It's really not that uncommon for fireworks to turn a holiday into a horrifying disaster.
"You're talking about 800 to 1,000 people every single year who is losing permanent vision from fireworks injuries," ophthalmologist Dr. Todd Shepler said.
Shepler works round the clock during holidays like Fourth of July and New Year's.
"One of the common things we see is when you have a firework, it doesn't go off. You think it's a dud. You go down to relight it and all of a sudden, it explodes," Shepler said.
Shepler says leave the major shows to the professionals. Rangel agrees and says she plans on taking action if she sees any firework activity on her street.
"They said to call 311, not 911 cause it ties up the lines. So, I'm ready to do that," Rangel said.
Shepler says another big danger is children playing with sparklers. He says while they may seem harmless, children under the age of 5 often bring them too close to the face and burn their eyes.

Backfire from fireworks law could lead to changes

2006-07-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

INDIANAPOLIS Three Northwest Indiana legislators who voted this year to legalize fireworks now say they want to give cities and counties the power to impose tighter restrictions on backyard barrages.A fourth local lawmaker, meanwhile, says he wants to completely scrap Indiana's new fireworks law and make sparklers the only Independence Day incendiary device available to Hoosiers.
Those moves come after a July 4 holiday in which fireworks were blamed for three home fires and six injuries in Porter County.Through phone calls, complaints and letters to the editor, dozens of citizens and several local officials have accused area legislators of temporally transforming tranquil neighborhoods into veritable war zones. And the city councils of Hammond, Schererville and Valparaiso are taking measures to formally voice their displeasure with state officials, including Gov. Mitch Daniels.For two decades the state largely turned a blind eye to illegal fireworks, allowing them to be sold in Indiana, but requiring Hoosiers to sign an affidavit promising to cross state lines before igniting their purchases.Arguing they were tired of making liars out of otherwise law-abiding Hoosiers, state legislators voted in March to completely legalize fireworks, provided they are used on private property between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., with an extension until midnight for holidays.Lawmakers won support from Daniels and State Fire Marshal Roger Johnson by imposing a 5 percent "public safety" tax on fireworks that is expected to generate $1 million a year for regional firefighter training."I"m all in favor of the regional training centers, I think that's a great idea," said Valparaiso Councilman John Bowker. "(But) as I said at the City Council meeting, weren't three house fires that night (July 4) enough training?"Bowker, who is drafting a resolution asking legislators to scale back the new law, said he has heard gripes from nearly four dozen constituents. This after getting no complaints in past years.The statewide impact of the new law is not yet clear. News reports in other metropolitan areas, especially Fort Wayne, indicate similar citizen angst.Chicago police received 4,248 firework complaint calls this year, a 25 percent increase over 2005. But officials there say the ubiquity of cell phones might be more to blame than Indiana's new law. Fireworks largely are illegal in Illinois.Northwest Indiana police and fire officials, as well as those in Lansing and Crete, reported heavy call volumes this year, though no hard numbers are available.Indiana hospitals began tracking firework-related injuries last month, but state officials say those figures won't be available for several months. The same goes for firework sales, which were not specifically tracked by the state prior to last month.Fireworks caused 494 injuries in Indiana from May 2003 through December 2004, the last time the state kept track. That reporting period was pushed for by state Rep. Charlie Brown, a staunch fireworks opponent who voted against legalization this spring.Brown, a Gary Democrat, now says he will seek to repeal the new law and make sparklers the only fireworks legal for use in Indiana."I would not interfere with the tax that would provide for the firefighters' training," Brown said. "It may reduce (the revenue) tremendously, if I'm successful in getting it through."House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, and some local legislators say it's unlikely there would be enough support in the 150-member General Assembly for an outright ban on fireworks.State Rep. Ralph Ayres, R-Chesterton, and state Sen. Vic Heinold, R-Kouts, who both voted to legalize fireworks, say they will work to pass such a law next year. They're not yet sure whether the legislation would allow local governments to enact outright bans, or simply enable them to restrict the places and times of year and day in which fireworks are allowed."I think the way to do it is to allow community standards to prevail," Ayres said. "That was never requested during the legislative process. There was no input against the legislation in committee."State Rep. Bob Kuzman, D-Crown Point, issues a press release Friday saying he would support such legislation.

Fireworks: What's Legal & What's Not This Holiday

2006-07-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

It was a dramatic morning in Indiana after an explosion and fire at a fireworks store.
At one point, fireworks were seen shooting from the building in Hammond, Indiana. Firefighters had to keep their distance while spraying water on the building, fearing more potential explosions, but no one was hurt.
The cause is under investigation.
In Central Texas, fears of big fires sparked by fireworks are prompting bans in several counties. That includes both buying and selling them.
Here's a look at what's legal and what's not.
So-called winged or finned rockets are not allowed. They shoot higher, farther and burn longer once they hit the ground.
Next, stick fireworks or bottle rockets are banned. They're known to zip through dry ground and ignite a string of fires.
However, roman candles and canister-style aerial fireworks with bases are OK.
Even with bans in place, fireworks in general could be risky this holiday.
"The reason for the ban [is that] we haven't had any rain lately," said Chief Allen Harrison with the Round Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. "They're getting kind of worried these dry conditions are going to continue."
If conditions get much worse, counties have the option of declaring an emergency ban of all fireworks.
Fireworks stands expect to open 10 days before the 4th.
Local sheriff's offices will investigate reports of violations and possibly issue citations.