This article is republished from The Conversation.
Across the United States, the sky will be erupting with fireworks on July 4, 2026 and the days around it as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence. Many cities will be hosting spectacular fireworks shows.
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But not everyone will be leaving the pyrotechnics to the professionals, so let’s talk about the risk of fireworks starting fires, including dangerous wildfires.
Fireworks, from bottle rockets to Roman candles, start a lot of fires in the U.S. every year – 32,000 of them in 2023 alone. And each year there is a clear spike in human-caused fires on July 4.
In 2026, much of the U.S. has been very dry and in moderate to severe drought. That has left many areas at high risk for fires igniting and spreading. Several communities issued fireworks bans ahead of the holiday because of the risk and, in some especially dry areas, even professional fireworks shows were canceled or replaced with drone shows. That included several shows in Colorado, where destructive wildfires were already burning and forcing evacuations.
Dry start to the year
In the first half of 2026, the U.S. has already experienced more wildfires than in the first half of any of the previous 10 years, which has included some of the country’s worst fire years on record.
The southeastern U.S. had far-below-normal precipitation in early 2026, which led to extremely dry conditions that fueled wildfires in the spring. At the end of June, more than 40% of the region was still in severe drought or worse.
In the West, a winter snow drought has left forests without the usual moisture they would get from a lingering snowpack.
Large parts of the West and Great Plains are in extreme or exceptional drought, including areas of Oklahoma, Nebraska and Utah, where wildfires in June forced entire communities to evacuate. And the national wildfire forecast shows above normal fire risk continuing into July in much of the U.S. West and Texas.
Wildland fire risk projections for July 2026. Graphic from the National Interagency Fire Center
At the same time, large parts of the U.S. West and Southeast are forecast to see above-normal heat along with dryness through early July. Heat waves significantly raise the fire risk. A recent study found that 42% of all land burned in the West from 2001 to 2024 happened during or right after a heat wave.
4th of July fireworks
In hot, dry conditions it doesn’t take much to start a fire. Dry vegetation – trees, shrubs and grasses – provides the fuel. A windy day can substantially raise the risk of a runaway fire. The spark often comes from human activities, whether a car, power line or someone lighting fireworks.
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Between 1992 and 2015, humans started 97% of all fires that threatened homes in the wildland-urban interface, the areas where homes and cities overlap with wildlands.
Of all the days, July Fourth stands out for its exceptional number of human-caused fires. From 1992 to 2020, around 15,000 fires were started on this holiday. Even in the eastern U.S., where July falls outside of the peak fire season, Independence Day still sees about 400 more fires than other days that month.
The professionals’ advice
In many states and drought-plagued regions, fireworks have been banned for community safety, and not just because of the fire risk. Emergency rooms saw an estimated 9,700 fireworks-related injuries in 2023 – injuries to hands, faces, ears and elsewhere – a third of them involving children.
The National Fire Protection Association encourages everyone to leave the fireworks to the professionals who are prepared to manage any wayward sparks. Public displays are cheaper for you, safer for everyone, and often far more spectacular.
