Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
Damp squib

Fireworks in the US have shrunk over decades

Urban sprawl means organisers have to rein it in.

FIREWORKS SHOWS AREN’T nearly as big as they were just a few decades ago in the USA. Co.DESIGN reports that fireworks are actually shrinking, and blames urban sprawl and tightening regulations on the changes.

While the blasts are smaller, they have also been multiplying. Instead of one big blast, a fireworks show will have up to a dozen smaller blasts for the same price.

The two problems that cause this: expansion of cities and tighter regulations, actually work together. The size of the firework that the pyrotechnicians can fire off into the air depends on how much land around the staging area is cleared off.

The old regulations set 70 feet of area (in a circle around the fireworks launch pad) cleared for each “inch” of shell. (One inch of shell means it will reach 100 feet high). According to Doug Taylor, the president of Zambelli Fireworks, that’s now 100 feet of clearance per inch.

The new regulations plus expanded building in cities makes for smaller shows closer to the ground. But, it does give them extra money to buy more smaller fireworks.

Times, they are a changing. These changes mean smaller, but more dense fireworks shows.

That doesn’t mean that they still don’t come with a health warning though – as these unfortunate people in Simi Valley, California discovered at 4th of July celebrations this week:

via camstack1/Youtube

Read more at Co.DESIGN >

- Jennifer Welsh

In pics: This is what a pre-New Year’s Eve fireworks display looks like>

Artist creates incredible display of daytime fireworks>

Watch €7,000 of fireworks let off all at once… by accident>

Published with permission from
Business Insider
Your Voice
Readers Comments
7
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.