WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. -- Fireworks will be a staple of celebrations on July 4th, but they will also be a cause for concern in many counties. Our very dry conditions have lead to emergency burn bans all over Delmarva.
That includes Worcester and Wicomico Counties, and fire officials are worried about what could happen if people aren't extra careful.
Fireworks: They're bright, colorful, loud and for the most part fun. But with the recent string of dry weather we've experienced on Delmarva, the danger associated with the festive explosives rises.
So Matt Stevens, a Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal in Wicomico County, is asking neighbors to leave it to the experts this year.
"They're trained, they're tested, they're issued a license by the Office of the State Fire Marshal to shoot fireworks professionally and again, they have fire suppression equipment on-scene," said Stevens.
Several counties, including Wicomico, Worcester, Talbot, Sussex and Kent all have burn bans in effect. In rural areas like Snow Hill, that means even ground based fireworks can pose a real threat.
"We do ask people if you're using sparklers or ground-based fireworks please do them over pavement," said Mike Creech, Snow Hill's Fire Chief. "Have a water source nearby and please when they go out do not put them right into a trashcan."
Kesha Cook was out buying fireworks on Thursday, and she said her family has a plan in place.
"We have it over pavement, my husband will water the pavement down before we set them off so everyone will be safe," said Cook.
Once the show is over, don't rush to the garbage bin.
"Submerge them in water before you just toss then out because even though you might not see a fire, it could be burning inside and if you just toss it in your trashcan it's liable to start a fire," said Stevens.
Extra water will be key to a safe Fourth of July, and neighbors on Delmarva seem prepared to put in the extra work.
"We spray it down with water after we finish, sometimes we don't throw it exactly in the trash," said Luis Calixto. "We let it sit there, wet it and then let it sit there again, make sure nothing happens and then we throw it away."
America's independence should mean a call for celebration, not a call to your local fire department.