CENTRAL FLORIDA — The fire departments in range and Seminole counties are warning Central Floridians about the dangers of using fireworks during the ongoing drought.
Orange and Seminole counties have burn bans in effect, which means residents are not allowed to use fireworks.
Acting Orange County Fire marshal Scott Workman recommended that families visit the professional firework displays being put on by cities and theme parks across Central Florida instead of setting off their own to keep family members safe from accidents.
Some fireworks burn up to 1,500 degrees, and they can burn your skin, cause eye and hand injuries and start fires.
“When they go up in the air, they explode, and embers can come down, and during these dry drought conditions, they can easily start a fire and then spread into a wildfire,” Workman said.
Seminole County Fire Marshal Christina Diaz pointed out that, during normal conditions, Florida law allows residents to use fireworks legally on July 4, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. However, the current dry conditions are not normal, she said.