Fire Department: Use 'Good Sense' With Fireworks

For Troy and the rest of the state, if it spins, twirls, leaves the ground or makes a bang, the firework is illegal.

“From the people we talk to, if it involves having fun, it's illegal in Michigan,” said Lt. Chuck Riesterer with the .

That means Roman candles, bottle rockets and m-80s are off limits, in addition to many others, and leaves some of the more tame fireworks for use by the general public — noise makers, snap caps, sparklers and snakes. A full list of legal fireworks can be found below.

Riesterer said a city ordinance prohibits anyone from selling fireworks without a license.

For keeping safe, Riesterer recommends people attend one of the many celebrations instead of trying to make their own with illegal fireworks. But even with legally attainable fireworks, Riesterer said it is best to exercise “good judgement,” especially around children.

Riesterer said keep sparklers away from little children, which he said is basically the same as giving a child a flaming-hot wire and telling them to run around the yard.

Use and possession of illegal fireworks in Troy is a misdemeanor offense, and carries a penalty up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine. Though, Riesterer said most people will have their contraband confiscated.

“On the Fourth of July," he said, "if we ticketed everyone that used fireworks we would run out of tickets.”

Allowed fireworks

The Troy Fire Department lists the following as fireworks that are permitted in the city and state:

• Flat paper caps.
• Toy trick noise makers (party poppers, pop-its, fun snaps, toy pistols using flat paper caps, etc.).
• Sparklers.
• "Flitter" sparklers (a narrow paper tube attached to a thin wooden handle and emit a shower of sparks).
• Fountains that are cone shaped or cylindrical shaped that emit a shower of sparks and sometimes a whistle effect.
• Toy snakes (a pressed pellet that produces a large snake like ash upon burning).
• Toy smoke devices (smoke bombs, smoke pots, smoke grenades, smoke balls, etc. that produce white or colored smoke).