A new law went effect this year that will let you put on a larger July 4th fireworks display at home. It allows you to buy and use firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets, and similar fireworks with a maximum of 50 milligrams of explosive material.

At a fireworks sales tent in Duncansville, operate Rick Erculiani says, “Businesses has been really great. We almost sold out. We just got a resupply last night, so we’re ready for the fourth, we’re ready to sell, we’re ready to make people’s skies light up.”

He sells many of newly legal fireworks and for those want to go big—there’s the Elite Assortment .

“You can see that it costs $399 dollars of course,  but you get over $450 dollars worth of items. you get 3 multishot mortars and missile cracks, these are the missiles that are going to scream, whistle, and crack and you get 300 shot cakes,” he adds.

Erculiani reminds us that the more explosive choices must be used 150 feet away from any structure.

Altoona Fire Chief Tim Hileman echoes and amplifies the note about safety. “

I think that it is a big deal in a sense that we are making legal more dangerous fireworks of course whenever you increase the danger of the type of things you’re using the risk goes up for accidents. When you mix alcohol and other things that can make you make poor decisions, that just increases that risk even higher,” he explains.

The chief says make sure you buy from a licensed permitted vendor.

 You also need to know the restrictions on using the more explosive fireworks. And, it’s important to check the ordinances in your municipality. For example, Altoona has an ordinance against the use of aerial displays. 

More Information on the New PA Fireworks Law