With the long weekend upon us, many of us are eager to shoot off fireworks in celebration. But safety should always come first when using fireworks.
There’s nothing better than getting the family together on a long weekend for some colourful explosions. But it’s important to keep yourself, your family, and your home as safe as possible. Here are 10 ways to make an amazing (and safe!) firework show.
Barrie By-law
Did you know there were firework permits in Barrie? According to barrie.ca, you’ll need one if you want to sell or set off fireworks. Without it, you’re only allowed to set off fireworks until 11 PM on the following days:
- Victoria Day Monday (not the whole weekend)
- Canada Day
- New Year’s Day
That’s right. The neighbour down the street who LOVES to set fireworks off at 2 AM can get in trouble.
Hear About Firework Safety in our Episode of What Barrie's Talking About
Fireworks can also be set off for the duration of the Lunar New Year and Diwali, for those who celebrate.
These new by-laws came into place in 2021. Councillor Ann-Marie Kungl said residents had reached out to her from across the city saying that allowing fireworks five days before the actual holiday was too much. Kungl said she fielded calls about fireworks being set off two weeks after Victoria Day, as well as concerns expressed about animal welfare and people who suffer from anxiety.
Barrie’s by-laws also say that you cannot:
- Light fireworks within 300 metres of schools, hospitals, nursing homes, health lodges, or churches without the City and the owner’s consent.
- Set off fireworks when wind speeds are higher than 40km/h.
- Light fireworks within 300 metres near where explosives, gasoline, or other highly flammable objects are stored or produced.
- Light within 8 metres of a building, tent, trailer, camp, shelter or motor vehicle.
- Set off fireworks on or into any highway, public park or private property, unless permission has been given.
For fireworks regulations in surrounding municipalities, click on the links below:
Adjala-Tosorontio | Bradford West Gwillimbury | Clearview | Collingwood | Essa | Innisfil | New Tecumseth | Oro Medonte | Penetanguishene | Ramara | Severn | Tay | Tiny | Wasaga Beach
You also need to make sure that any fireworks you plan on lighting are legal. We’ll talk about that in just a bit. First, let’s look at safety tips for setting off legal fireworks.
RELATED: Barrie's By-law took effect in 2021. Read the initial statement ...
Firework Safety
Believe it or not, fireworks are explosives. While they may not do as much damage as dynamite, when handled incorrectly, fireworks can be incredibly dangerous. Here are some ways to make our favourite, colourful explosives not so dangerous.
Preparation
Before you even start dealing with fireworks, you should make sure you have everything you need in case something goes wrong. Some ways to prepare include:
- Set up outside, away from flammables, on a flat, hard, and level surface.
- Store any unused fireworks in a box away from the lit fireworks. Don’t smoke near the storage box.
- Read the safety distance written on all legal fireworks; people who are not lighting the firework should always be at that distance. The lighter should always back up to that distance after the fuse is lit.
- Have a bucket of sand, a supply of water, and a working fire extinguisher nearby at all times.
Lighting Safety
So, you’ve set up the launch site in your backyard. Now comes the fun part: Lighting it. Lighting a firework sounds easy enough, right? Wrong! There’s a lot of things you should do to ensure your safety when lighting a firework.
- Always light the firework at arm’s length with protective gloves. Eyeglasses are also recommended.
- Don’t wear loose clothing. The last thing you want is your favourite sweater to catch on fire.
- Don’t lean over the firework and keep your hair away from the fuse.
- If it’s been lit, don’t touch it.
- If you’re under the influence, or are under 18, don’t handle the fireworks at all. In fact, stay as far away from the fireworks as possible.
- In the scenario where you may have lit a dud, do not relight it. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before approaching it. Douse it in water and throw it in a plastic bag. Let it soak for another 10 to 15 minutes before throwing it in the garbage. Do not throw them in your recycling bins. Even if they’re made of paper.
- Don’t underestimate sparklers. While they may seem fun, they’re incredibly hot (1200°F to be exact). If sparklers are a part of your celebration, do not give them to kids; use glow sticks instead. If you do use sparklers, submerge them in sand after use. You’d be surprised by just how hot they can stay after being put out.
General Safety Tips
- Read and follow the directions on the label.
- Keep fireworks in a closed box until it is time to discharge them.
- Never take apart or modify fireworks in any way.
- Be respectful of your neighbours and mindful of pets.
- Only adults who are aware of the hazards and essential safety precautions should handle and discharge fireworks.
Identifying Legal Fireworks
Illegal fireworks are illegal for a reason. They’re incredibly unsafe, and the results can be devastating. The most common culprits of illegal fireworks include, but are not limited to:
- Throw-down Torpedoes
- Cherry Bombs
- Flash Crackers
- Cigarette Loads
- Trick Matches
- Snaps
- M-80 Salutes
- Sprite Bombs
- Firecrackers (without permission)
Side Note: A quick and easy way to tell if your fireworks are legal or not is by their labels and instructions. If they don’t appear in both English and French, they aren’t authorised for sale in Canada. However, bilingual labels do not guarantee the fireworks are legal. If you have any questions or concerns about your fireworks, don’t hesitate to contact the Explosives Regulatory Division at (855) 912-0012 , or through email at EDRmms@nrcan.gc.ca .
And that’s all you need to know before launching off fireworks this holiday weekend.
Remember: Have fun, and don’t point them at anyone!
