Setting off fireworks this week? Here are details on local laws, how to stay safe

The tent is full of fireworks whose names reference pop culture and politics. Some feature President Donald Trump and his border wall. The most popular firework this year, McNamee said, is called Tank Busters. He’s sold out of it three times.

The $270 package has four types of fireworks, including some that burst multiple times in the air.

McNamee’s personal favorite is the Zip It.

“It’s just crazy fireworks. Colors, sound — it’s just the best of both worlds,� he said.

ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä laws

While McNamee will sell you whatever you need for a neighborhood show, fireworks enthusiasts are urged to “always err on the side of caution,â€� said Capt. David Hodges, of the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Fire Department.

“Even the simple sparklers, they burn at 1,200 degrees compared to wood, which burns at 575 degrees,� he said. “They’re more than double the heat that you get from burning wood.�

Hodges said ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä residents are “very responsibleâ€� with fireworks. Injuries and wildfires haven’t been a problem with fireworks in recent years. This year, recent rain has reduced the chance of fire spreading, he said.

He encouraged people to soak their fireworks in a bucket of water before disposing of them, to limit the fire risk.

Fireworks safety

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 11 people died from fireworks in 2024, and 14,700 were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks injuries.

The CPSC offers the following safety tips:

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area, and only purchase and set off fireworks that are labeled for consumer (not professional) use.
• Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never try to relight or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Follow all instructions and warnings on fireworks, and never hold them in your hand, unless instructions specify to do so.

Local laws

Here is when you legally may ignite Fourth of July fireworks in the largest municipalities in Kanawha County:

• ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä: 11 a.m.-11 p.m., July 4
• South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., July 4 and the corresponding holiday weekend
• St. Albans: 11 a.m.-11 p.m., July 4
• Dunbar: All day on July 4, and 6 p.m.-midnight on the holiday weekend
• Nitro: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., July 4 and the holiday weekend
• Montgomery: Consumer fireworks are illegal

In the cities where fireworks are legal, users must be sober, fireworks must be set off 100 feet away from structures and may not pass through or explode on any public right-of-way. Fireworks users also must clean up all debris from the fireworks within 24 hours.

Tips for pets

While fireworks are legal in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä and Kanawha County, they can still affect your pets and neighbors.

Sarah O’Donnell, a veterinarian at Shenandoah Veterinary Hospital in Martinsburg, said there are some steps pet owners can take to calm their anxious dogs.

• Before fireworks start, get your pet comfortable in a safe place they can go during loud noises.
• Cover windows and play white noise to help mask the sights and sounds of fireworks.
• Use dog earmuffs or wraps, like a ThunderShirt.
• Ask your veterinarian about anxiety-relieving supplements and prescription drugs.

O’Donnell said hemp products haven’t been approved for use in dogs. She’s heard those products haven’t been effective anyway.

“If your pet needs medication, don’t wait until the last minute to talk to your veterinarian about it,� she said.

Dog owners can slowly condition their dogs to loud noises, such as thunderstorms or fireworks, by playing the noises at a low level while the dog is being petted or played with, O'Donnell said. When the dog starts to react, turn the noise back down.

Caring for veterans

You can also take steps to make your neighbors feel safer with fireworks, particularly military veterans.

Sgt. Edward Stow served two tours of duty in Iraq in the 2000s with the U.S. Army, including the second push through Fallujah. Stow, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, said he doesn’t have a big reaction to fireworks if he is aware of them ahead of time.

Surprise fireworks and fireworks that explode like mortars, though, give him a physiological reaction.

"[In] my own opinion, 75% of soldiers — if they're aware the fireworks are going to happen — are typically OK,� he said. “We may get a little bit of anxiety or that slight physiological effect from it. But, if we're expecting it, we can kind of control it. It's when you're not expecting that you get really affected.�

Stow, who lives in Cross Lanes, encouraged people to let their neighbors know if they will be firing off fireworks, particularly if those neighbors are combat veterans.

" Anything that's going to be out of the normal that might startle your neighbor, you should make them aware of anyhow,� he said.