Night skies will remain dark in some US cities this Independence Day, as concerns about supply chain and labor shortages, drought and wildfires lead to the cancellation of many fireworks displays across the country.
For some, their programs will be suspended for the third year in a row.
“The first two years were about the pandemic, and this year it’s about the supply chain,” said Adam Waltz, a spokesman for the city of Phoenix, where the three major fireworks displays are being held. have been cancelled. Mr. According to Waltz, the vendor that regularly supplies the city with fireworks could not guarantee the product.
“It’s very sad,” he added.
Other cities have canceled their fireworks displays due to wildfire concerns. Especially across the West, drought and hot, dry and windy weather this summer has already helped set conditions Fast moving flames. As of Friday, 55 major wildfires are burning in 11 states Rice caught fire in Nevada County, California.More than 900 acres have grown since Tuesday’s start National Interactive Firefighting Center.
City officials in Flagstaff, Ariz., about 150 miles north of Phoenix, decided to plan a laser light show rather than organize fireworks that had to be canceled at the last minute if weather made the event unsafe.
“We are dealing with dangerous conditions,” city spokeswoman Sarah Langley said. He said the city has not yet made a decision on whether it will pursue laser light displays instead of fireworks in future years.
In North Lake Tahoe, California, City officials said They decided to replace their annual July 4th fireworks show with drones, also because of fire hazards and other environmental hazards. (Various Chemicals that can pollute are required (to make fireworks glasses bigger, louder, and more colorful.)
displays in Lake Don Pedro50 miles east of Modesto, California and ClaremontCalif., about 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, was halted due to drought in the state.
In Claremont, this is the third year in a row that the event has been canceled, city spokeswoman Melissa Volaro said. He said it would take about 650,000 gallons of water to drench the fireworks area, which would be impossible under current water restrictions. Instead, he said, the city is planning a concert in the park.
Other cities have canceled their programs due to staff shortages.
Call Expo in Sacramento Said to focus on its personnel and resources In the upcoming state fair and food festival, it could not hold its Independence Day fireworks. In Ocean City, MD, The Officials said Two fireworks shows were canceled due to “manpower shortages”. Officials in Minneapolis also said They had to stop the scene Due to construction and staffing issues at the local park.
Independence Day celebrations are going on as planned in many parts of the country, including New York City. For some, it was their first time displaying fireworks before the coronavirus pandemic.
“Everyone is ready to celebrate freedom from this virus,” said Julie L. Heckman said. American Pyrotechnics Association.
Ms Heckman said she expects the number of professional fireworks displays across the country to be higher than in 2020 and 2021, despite some shows being cancelled.
“Demand is at 110 percent of pre-infection levels,” Ms. Heckman said, adding that she expects 17,000 shows across the country in the days surrounding Independence Day. (Before the coronavirus pandemic, there were about 16,000 shows nationwide during this period, he said.)
Some residents of cities with canceled shows plan to set off their own fireworks. Some types of consumer fireworks are legal in 49 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, although individual counties and cities may enforce bans, Ms. Heckman said. Consumer fireworks are banned in Massachusetts.
Dennis Revell, a spokesman for TNT Fireworks, the nation’s largest distributor of consumer fireworks, said that in 2020, when most public events were canceled, TNT’s sales increased significantly in terms of total sales and volume. People buy their products. “We have retained a lot in 2021,” Mr. Revel said. But, he added, “It is too early to predict what 2022 will look like.”
However, some smaller retailers are suffering from supply chain issues.
Avon Hall, owner of Discount Fireworks in Brainerd, Minn., about 130 miles northwest of Minneapolis, said he was waiting for some orders that took a week to arrive, more than a month.
He said he called 12 different suppliers, with one favorite fireworks in particular: Pure Fantasy. “They’re pretty and colorful and the fountain goes one way and people love it,” Ms Hall said. “It’s been slow this year,” he added. “I’m sure it will increase over the next few days.”
In Queen Creek, about 40 miles southeast of Phoenix, where public fireworks displays were suspended, another vendor said his business was up, thanks in part to the cancellation.
“They are very disappointed, which is a shame, but they are very interested in trying these new fountains at home,” Christian Walls, who runs the fireworks stand, said of his customers. He added, “They’ll have a good show.”
Fireworks enthusiast Michael Luciak of Green Bay, Wis., about 115 miles north of Milwaukee, said starting in 2020, he’s trying to ramp up his personal show. Go elsewhere.
The best moment is when Mr., a farmer, hosts the show in his employer’s cornfield. Luciak said the finale. “I can feel the shock waves in my chest, and I know I’m making a statement that people are going to see or hear for miles around,” he said.
“With all the cheers and horns going off,” he added, “it’s one of the best feelings in the world.”
June 30, 2022
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the location of the town of Queen Creek, Ariz. It’s southeast of Phoenix, not southwest.
