Ban Fireworks!

I always thought my maths was poor but I am beginning to think that I am a statistics genius.

Nearly90

I bet Switzerland wishes Fireworks were banned.

Fireworks on NYE in European ski resorts is common, they are put in the snow at the side of the road and let off randomly. We were always extra alert when the children were younger, when walking outside around the turn of the year.

Indoor fireworks in bottles of champagne (basically large fizzy candles, like you can get here for birthday cakes) were held by someone on somebody’s shoulders, which ignited the decorations on the ceiling (BBC1 Breakfast News)

An absolute heartbreaking tragedy, not what we are discussing on this though.

RIP 💐

Indoor fireworks in bottles of champagne (basically large fizzy candles, like you can get here for birthday cakes) were held by someone on somebody’s shoulders, which ignited the decorations on the ceiling (BBC1 Breakfast News)

An absolute heartbreaking tragedy, not what we are discussing on this though.
No, we're not, but can I just say that those indoor fireworks are dangerous and to be avoided.
A friend bought me one to put on my birthday cake a few years ago, I lit it, it fell off the cake and it set fire to the laminate worktop, burning quite a patch. Luckily, water was nearby and I put it out.

DrWatson I expect there will be abused people who have panic attacks from the unexpected sound of church bells but I think you are missing the point.

Having worked in refuge I know there are lots of surprising things that can set panic off.

If it was all kept to the one night I think it would make more sense.
No surprises that way.

It looks as if indoor fireworks caused the fire in Crans=Montana

Should be banned they really should. I have signed petitions to get them banned.

I have never liked fireworks even as a child.

Signed thanks Chestnut

Chestnut

Parliament is debating this very issue on 19th January 2026 and there is a petition to sign before then. Here is the link:
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732559

Signed

When I was young Whitewave we used to go into the garden and all the fishing boats in the harbour would toot on their horns at 12, it was lovely and I used to really enjoy going out and hearing them and saying a silent Happy New Year to the fishermen However we now have no fishing boats in our harbour. We have a few boats that take the men out to the wind farms, we have some yachts and a lifeboat but no fishing boats at all

Last year we had our local pier owners do a free silent firework display it was lovely, really pretty and had a lot of people watching.

Gingster

It’s like a war zone here at the moment.

Exactly the same here. We have a number of Unkranian children living here - I hope they had been warned it was going to happen.

I would not like to ban fireworks, just bangers. Our local council banned the sale of bangers when I was a child

Dislike them - money up in smoke

I remember the days, not so long ago, when fireworks were locked into cabinets and it was only possible for responsible adults to buy them. The internet of course has ended all that and I think its time to introduce some controls. Noisy fireworks at public displays only. That means a clear start and finish time so that people can take measures with their pets or whatever. Quiet fireworks I have no problem with. Around here the fireworks started about 8pm New Years Eve and went on until 1am. It was like WW3.

M0nica

Why spoil the fun for so many people. It is up to animal owners to take any action necessary to protect their animals.

I dislike the way people want to ban everthing that they do not like.

We have just bought a house opposite the parish church. We knew it had bells and a clock. We did not realise until we moved in that the church bell rings the quarter hour bell 24/7.

There are about 100 or more houses within 100 yards of the church, but we are by far the nearest. We could have complained and tried to stop the night time bells, but we didn't and three months in we hardly notice them. I haven't consciously heard them all morning and I am in a room opposite the church. The same with fireworks. If your animals get frightened, keep the in and central

It isn't just animal owners though, it is the wildlife too. We can't really train them.
What about the people who have PTSD? After the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan we have people badly affected by what they saw after bombs went off. Try thinking fireworks are fine when you are watching a man, naked in the corner shaking and crying because he has been triggered by some idiot setting off fireworks when he isn't expecting them. Then there's the next few weeks/months when he is like a cat on a hot tin roof because of that trigger. He, like others have had every therapy known to man but it is like whistling down the wind when things like this happen.
I've never had an animal frightened by fireworks but I have friends who have anxious animals who find day to day living hard and this is just another thing they have to navigate. My friend has spent hundreds of pounds on classes, behaviourists and medication but it hasn't helped when fireworks go off.
I'm not saying ban them altogether but they don't need to be loud and could be restricted to specific times. At least that way, people would know when to take avoiding action.

Illegal here in Aus unless done by an organisation with permission, for many years now. What kind of idiot? Here we would say, a bogan. Fireworks are very bad for the environment too, many animals, native and pets are badly affected or worse. A good drone display should be enough.

Why spoil the fun for so many people

People can go to organised displays.

AusKes

Illegal here in Aus unless done by an organisation with permission, for many years now. What kind of idiot? Here we would say, a bogan. Fireworks are very bad for the environment too, many animals, native and pets are badly affected or worse. A good drone display should be enough.

Quite right.

How many countries do sell fireworks to the general public, I wonder?

Does anyone remember when a shipping container full of fireworks at a pyrotechnic factory went up in Somerset? That could have been so disastrous. There was another one a few years earlier in Devon when a fireworks factory exploded.

Thanks BlueBell. I have heard of silent fireworks, but didn't know if they were able to put on a good show.
Seems a logical solution to the problem.

i have seen drone shows. They followed firework shows and they were a very poor imitation of the real thing.

Angelafeet

Bah humbug…when did we all get so fun averse

Possibly when people were injured or worse while ‘having fun’!

I must admit I enjoy watching a good firework display, public or not - there’s always one at a house across from us on Bonfire Night and NYE that rivals any organised event. We sit and watch from the safety of our home - perfect!

But they don’t set them off at any other time of year, as many others do round here (birthdays, weddings, etc), and those sudden unexpected outbursts are the ones the local farmers and pet owners can’t plan for. As long as fireworks are so easily available, these will carry on, so I personally would be in favour, reluctantly, of a ban on sales to the general public.

We had a very nice, small display of silent fireworks last Nov 5th.
If they are available why not choose them? I don’t know if they are more expensive because I didn’t buy them. Just cut down on quantity a little.
Apart from that restrict their use to certain days of the year so at least pet owners know when to expect them. That doesn’t help wildlife and farm animals on the chosen days but it should cut down on their suffering.
We have a wedding venue near us and they do go off frequently. Luckily I don’t have a pet.

I have seen videos of drone shows from China. They were astonishing.

In Germany, 42.400 tons of fireworks to the value of 200 Million Euros were sold in 2025. Lots of taxes on that amount.

No one seems to consider the wild animals. Hedgehogs and bats are disturbed during their hibernation. Squirrels, deer, birds and hares try to flee the noise in a panic, using valuable energy reserves, which is almost impossible to restore during the cold months.

It’s £180 million annually in the UK, so very similar.