Harris County Fire Marshal encourages fireworks safety as consumer sales ramp up

What residents should know

The fire marshal’s office recommended the following safety tips:

• Follow the law and be sure fireworks are legal in your community and with your homeowners association
• Read and follow the directions and warning labels on fireworks packaging
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks
• Light only one firework at a time
• Do not point fireworks at homes, buildings or people
• Do not use fireworks within 600 feet of a place of worship, hospital, veterinary hospital, licensed child care center or school
• Never consume alcohol or drugs while shooting fireworks
• Make sure there is a bucket of water or water source nearby for emergencies
• Soak used fireworks prior to disposing of them in the trash
• Be considerate of neighbors when it comes to noise and the trash left behind

Firework use can even cause distress to pets and veterans, Dumas said.

“Consider your neighbors who are veterans and consider pets,” Dumas said. “A lot of loud noises and quick pops could trigger a lot of people, especially those who have served in our military.”

Zooming out

Dumas said unincorporated Harris County was no longer under a burn ban, which was lifted Dec.5, and while current conditions were better with not a lot of dry vegetation, she said fire departments will still be busy responding to fires.

Did you know?

The U.S. imports more than $10 million worth of fireworks annually with 92.6% of the items coming from China, according to 2025 trade market data trends from commerce publication WorldCity Inc.