Last year, almost every public firework event was postponed, with celebrations confined to gardens and private displays.
With the UK’s largest events such as London’s New Year’s Eve display already cancelled, 2021 will be another year of increased at home celebrations. For Bonfire Night 2021 alone, events across Manchester, Leeds, and Nottingham have been cancelled.
So the team at Fireworks Kingdom have revealed their top tips for how you can safely enjoy celebrations from your garden this year.
Top tips for safely hosting or attending a garden display
First and foremost, only buy CE classification fireworks, with 1.4 marked on them, indicating these are intended for the general public and are safe for use. Also keep in mind the size of your garden when purchasing fireworks. Your garden size may not fulfill the minimum spectator distance of larger fireworks.
Here are the teams tips on enjoying a garden display safely:
Richard Hogg, Shop Manager at Fireworks Kingdom says: “Firework celebrations have traditionally been a neighbourhood event. Bonfire Night in particular is a communal event for neighbours to celebrate together, with large paid events a more modern phenomenon.
“With the increase in at-home display popularity over the past year, we believe that firework events might move back to these roots.
“Not every garden is suitable for hosting a display. Cut back on foliage and remove any branches or other obstructions over the firing site. Provide a minimum spectator distance of 25 metres, even if you’re using fireworks with smaller charges. And take note of the direction of the wind. Watch the fireworks from upwind of the display, and ensure the area downwind is clear of any flammable materials or property. If the wind changes, you may need to switch the display location, to ensure the area downwind of the display is suitable for falling debris and sticks.
“Follow the rules in your area. Generally, you can set fireworks off up to midnight on Bonfire Night, and 1 AM for New Year’s Eve, Diwali, and Chinese New Year. Outside of these dates, fireworks can’t be set off after 11 PM.
“Give your neighbours plenty of notice and be respectful.
“Exercise caution, follow the fireworks code, and you will have a fantastic display at home.”
How to safely use sparklers at home
Sparklers are another key ingredient for a fantastic Bonfire Night. However, they can burn at 2000 degrees - 20 times above boiling water - so need to be handled carefully.
The Fireworks Kingdom team have released this advice on handling sparklers safely:
And don’t give sparklers to children under 5.
How many people are injured by fireworks?
Firework related injuries each year have been at their lowest since 2014, with the NHS reporting 117 injuries in 2020 when almost all displays were hosted in gardens and privately across the UK.
Fireworks Kingdom hope this number can be reduced further with these garden display safety tips.
View more safety advice in Fireworks Kingdom’s firework safety guide.
About Fireworks Kingdom
Fireworks Kingdom, established in 2007, is a Doncaster based supplier of fireworks. They sell fireworks both in store and online at highly competitive prices. Fireworks Kingdom has an extensive range of fireworks to suit any occasion and budget, from individual rockets to our popular barrages designed to create the most fantastic array of colours and effects, requiring the lighting of only a single fuse. Catherine wheels are another popular at home choice, as they require a lower spectator distance when garden size is an issue.