Fireworks Etiquette To Keep The Neighborhood Happy: Block Talk

As the 4th of July approaches, consider that your neighbor may not love your home fireworks display as much as you do.

That’s the main takeaway from Patch’s informal survey for Block Talk, our exclusive neighborhood etiquette column. We asked: What would you like your neighbors to know about their fireworks display?

Independence Day is America’s birthday and worth celebrating, some readers said.

“They are awesome!” said Middletown (New Jersey) Patch reader Jennifer. “Know the noise ordinance, but light ’em up.”

“I love fireworks! Fire away!” said John D., who reads Branford (Connecticut) Patch and West Palm Beach (Patch) “Just be mindful of other people’s homes and cars, and be safe. Remember to clean up the mess the next day.”

Jake, a Burnsville (Minnesota) Patch reader not only doesn’t care if his neighbors set off fireworks, he also doesn’t mind if their pyrotechnics aren’t allowed under Minnesota’s relatively strict consumer fireworks law.

“Have at it, have fun! Just don’t hurt anyone else or somebody else’s property,” Jake said. “Half the fun is because you’re not supposed to do it. If you blow your own hand off, that’s on you — don’t need the government to protect me from my own decisions. If I choose to buy fireworks and hurt myself, that’s on me.”

“I honestly don’t mind if neighbors shoot off fireworks, as long as it’s not all night and not outside quiet hours,” said Woodbury (Minnesota) Patch reader Junie. “My only ask is that they pick up the debris that seems to rain down everywhere, and to consider the dryness of vegetation.”

The problem, the vast majority of survey respondents said, is that people lose sight of how their neighbors may be affected in their zeal to celebrate the Fourth with fireworks.

‘Why Put Vets Through That?’

Pennsylvania Patch reader Louise said fireworks are “very loud and frightening,” especially for veterans. Her late father, a Vietnam combat veteran, had severe PTSD. Every year, he turned the air conditioner to full blast to drown out booming fireworks, which sounded to him like gunfire.

“Fireworks trigger PTSD episodes for many veterans who have sacrificed for our country. Why put them through that?” Walnut Creek (California) Patch reader Sharon agreed.

It’s not just veterans who are affected.

“I am 70 years old and have multiple sclerosis and trigeminal neuralgia, which affects my eardrums,” said Stoughton (Massachusetts) Patch reader Suzy Q, who lives in the only U.S. state that bans all consumer fireworks.

The paralysis has left both eardrums open, and as a result, she “can hear a pin drop on a carpet.”

“I have extreme sensitivity to noise,” she explained. “Any loud noise makes my head want to explode into millions of tiny pieces of confetti. There is nothing I can do about it. I live in isolation because of it, and it’s not fair that people are so ignorantly selfish toward others, the elderly, people with PTSD, babies and dogs.”

‘Heartbreaking To Watch The Terror’

In some dogs, fireworks trigger the canine version of PTSD.

“Many rescue dogs have been shot at, or been around unsold puppies who were shot as excess in commercial dog breeding operations,” said Lake Forest-Lake Bluff (Illinois) Patch reader Mia. “This is common and legal in most states. My dogs are terrified of fireworks because they were present when other dogs were shot.”

Related: Why A Dog Terrified Of Fireworks Chewed Through A Refrigerator Door

Bolingbrook (Illinois) Patch reader Sue said her dog is petrified by fireworks and “thinks the world is ending.”

“So do birds and other wildlife. It’s heartbreaking to watch the terror,” Sue said. “I can handle the night of, but for days after is too much.”

Minnetonka (Minnesota) Patch reader Dog Girl said her pooch with anxiety issues “panics, shakes and loses his mind for hours after hearing the fireworks.”

“He’s scared to death,” Dog Girl said “I love fireworks, but not in residential areas. I love celebrating Independence Day. It’s a rare pet who isn’t traumatized for hours, day after day, by people lighting them off.”

Also, Dog Girl said, “You’re potentially causing fires with bottle rockets and such. You have every right to celebrate, but please be kind and understand you’re causing trauma to many pets and animals.”

‘Do Not Burn My Boat Or My House’

Wildfire-weary Californians noted that despite the state having some of the strictest fireworks laws in the country, backyard displays are still fairly common.

“Last year, a palm tree in the yard behind me caught fire. It went up like a Roman candle. I was honestly afraid that my house would catch fire,” said Temecula (California) Patch reader Angie.

“Please don’t shoot off aerial fireworks over our homes and yards,” Pacifica (California) Patch reader T. said. “Pieces of them have come down into our yard, and one year, a skyrocket caught our front grass on fire. We put it out with a house, but what if nobody had caught it in time?”

The fire hazard isn’t limited to California.

“Please do not burn my boat or my house. Go to a show!” said a Brick (New Jersey) Patch reader who goes by Jersey. “I have had so much damage to my home, cars and boats when burning fireworks land on them. Just do not do it. I do not do it to you.”

Wauwatosa (Wisconsin) Patch reader Joe said his neighbor across the street sets off fireworks from his driveway.

“They are large fireworks, and he directs them toward us. We end up with the shells in our yard,” Joe said. “The problem is the cleanup and the potential for a fire because behind us, our other neighbors have dried pine needles that could ignite easily.

“It may be enjoyable for the person setting them off. But the potential danger outweighs a short-lived display,” said Joe, who thinks his local police department needs to more actively enforce Wisconsin fireworks laws.

‘Sounds Like A War Zone’

Milford (Connecticut) Patch reader Nosy Neighbor is OK with fireworks on Independence Day, but “not three weeks before and three weeks after.”

“It’s too much noise for too long with frightened babies and dogs,” Nosy Neighbor said.

Several other readers said they’ll suffer through their neighbors’ displays as long as they shut down at a reasonable hour — say 10:30 or 11 o’clock at night.

“Between 9-10 p.m. is an appropriate one-hour range for neighbors to see your pretty patriotic displays,” said Bolingbrook (Illinois) Patch reader Peg. “I don’t want to live in what sounds like a war zone.”

Warminster (Pennsylvania) Patch reader Bonnie could live without her neighbor’s fireworks shows, too.

“They shoot them directly onto our property from their back yard, so we are not able to go out to our back yard or our front patio, and they also end up in our pool. We cannot even let our dog out,” Bonnie said. “The next day I have to pick up all the burnt papers on our property.”

Bonnie has tried talking to her neighbors about the problems their fireworks have caused.

“Every year I ask them not to do it and point out the trash on our property, and the father says the debris is also on his property,” she said. “Nice, huh?”

“It’s become a constant nuisance,” said Cranston (Rhode Island) Patch reader Anbro said. “Our home and yard are no longer our peaceful retreat, sleep is disturbed, health is affected and windows are shut.”

Florida Patch reader Butch also flees his home on the 4th of July and thinks Florida fireworks laws are too lenient.

“The displays downtown are lovely. I highly recommend them,” Butch said. “I absolutely hate backyard fireworks. They shoot them over my house, so the stuff falls on my roof. I can’t take an evening walk. I am forced to medicate pets. It goes on until 1 in the morning. Florida is too lenient.

“Stop the loud noise. I’m desperate,” said Laurel (Maryland) Patch reader Beautiful, who said because pets are panicked for hours and days and stop eating, “I don’t sleep.”

‘Bizarre Situation When You Think About It’

Darien (Connecticut) Patch reader Natalie thinks “it’s time to rethink fireworks.”

“Yes, they terrify pets, but they also harm wildlife, pollute air and water, and pose serious health risks,” Natalie said, adding that fireworks release toxic metals like copper, strontium and barium, which contaminate soil and water, degrade air quality, and can trigger respiratory and cardiovascular problems in both humans and animals.

“They may light up the sky for a moment, but fireworks leave behind long-lasting damage to our ecosystems,” Natalie said. “Maybe leave fireworks to July 4th and a few nearby towns.”

“I like seeing fireworks and I agree that July 4th should be noted and celebrated, but it is amazingly rude (narcissistic even?) in an urban/suburban environment to subject dozens of your neighbors and their pets to extremely loud noises, fire risk and injury hazards just so you and your friends can celebrate with a few ooh-ahhs,” said Elmhurst (Illinois) Patch reader Mike, who pointed out that large consumer fireworks displays are illegal in Illinois

“But the practice is so ingrained that it is largely tolerated- and will go on for many more years, I’m sure,” Mike said. “Knowing that, I usually just flee with the dogs to somewhere a bit more peaceful. And if unable to do that, we just kind of hunker down in the basement during the worst of it.

“But It’s a bizarre situation, really, if you think about it:
At any other time of the year, even just lighting pieces of paper on fire and tossing them into the neighbor’s backyard would likely and rightfully elicit some kind of negative response. But on July 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, it’s OK for people to create startling explosions and fire rockets that rain embers and smoking remnants into their neighbors’ yards.

“Why? The best excuse anyone can come up with is that it’s a celebration. Well, not for everybody.”

About Block Talk

Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with “Block Talk” as the subject line.

Previously In Block Talk

• Here’s What To Do When The Neighbor’s Dogs Bark All Night
• How To Handle Sketchy Neighborhood Situations And People
• You May Be A Bad Neighbor If You Do These Things: Block Talk
• ‘Poop Cleanup In Aisle 9’: Hard Pass On Dogs In Stores