Fireworks safety: AFD urges caution when celebrating New Year

Officials urge caution with NYE fireworks

Right now, fireworks are on sale for personal use outside of the city of Austin. But fire officials are urging the public to take precautions with any recreational use.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Fire officials are asking the public to take extreme caution when using fireworks to celebrate New Year’s Eve, or to just leave it up to the professionals.

"It just takes one spark from a firework," said Rachael Lewis with the Austin Fire Department.

Lewis says one spark is all it takes to accidentally light a home on fire with a firework.

"This time of year, we recommend that people stay away from fireworks. If you're not going to do that, we recommend all kinds of firework safety," she said.

APD provides safety tips during the holidays

The Austin Police Department said crime tends to rise during the holidays, and they want residents to be aware.

Lewis says AFD receives over 19,000 reports of fires yearly that get tied back to fireworks. This year, Lewis says the department is preparing for the worst case scenario just to be safe because that is what they have seen in years prior.

"We see lots of trash can fires, lots of dumpster fires, and a surprisingly large amount of house fires related to fireworks when lighting a firework," she said.

If you plan to use fireworks, Lewis advises not to light the fireworks anywhere near people, animals, homes, or anything that could catch fire easily.

"We recommend that people have, when they're letting off fireworks, a small container of water or a five gallon pail full of water to help extinguish the spent and unused fireworks. We also recommend having a fire hose or garden hose even out and available to help extinguish any hot spots that the fireworks may cause on your lawn," said Lewis.