N.J. fireworks: Here’s what’s legal and the rules you need to know – NJ.com

New Jersey is heading into the July 4th holiday weekend and, as in prior years, fireworks are getting plenty of attention.

The state has some of the nation’s toughest restrictions on fireworks for personal use and some local police departments say they are stepping up enforcement.

Fire safety officials are advising residents to limit their fireworks fun to professional shows that are experiencing a resurgence following last year’s cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is all playing out as retailers are grappling with a national stock shortage that, as of last week, was forecast to reduce consumer fireworks selection by approximately 30%.

New Jersey’s state fire marshal, Marshal Mikutsky, is urging caution.

“The use of non-aerial and novelty fireworks, although now legal in New Jersey, are still very dangerous and should always be handled with extreme caution. They should never be in the hands of children, and that includes hand-held sparklers which can reach a temperature of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit,” Mikutsky said on Thursday.

Until 2017, New Jersey was among three states with a blanket ban on fireworks that exempted permitted shows. Then the law was amended to allow personal use of ground-based sparkling devices and novelties, such as sparklers and smoke devices including smoke balls, candles and cones.

Aerial consumer fireworks — including fireworks, sky rockets, bottle rockets and Roman candles, among others — remain prohibited. Unless you have a permit to use the prohibited products here, it is against the law to drive from Pennsylvania to New Jersey with them.

“Residents need to be aware of and understand the dangers before they buy ground-based devices and we will continue to recommend that people alternatively attend public firework displays that are handled by professionals,” Mikutsky said in a statement released Thursday in advance of the holiday weekend by the state Division of Community Affairs.

For those who opt to buy and use the legal devices, the state Division of Fire Safety is providing some recommendations:

• Only buy from reputable outlets.
• Don’t buy if the packaging is damaged or appears tampered with.
• Don’t use or try to fix broken or “dud” devices.
• While non-aerial sparkling devices may be legal, they can still burn you. Temperatures of one sparkler can reach about 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and are not intended for children.
• Never use these devices indoors.
• Always have water handy and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Wait 20 minutes to properly dispose of these devices.

Several municipalities have announced crackdowns on illegal fireworks. Police in South Amboy announced on June 17, more than two weeks before the holiday, that they were investigating reports of illegal fireworks being discharged in the city.

In Woodbridge, the state’s sixth-largest municipality, Mayor John E. McCormac said police had stopped at least two retailers in the past week from selling fireworks not allowed in New Jersey.

“We get tips. We go out. We tell people, you can’t sell these things,” McCormac said, adding that fireworks can be especially problematic for pet owners and residents with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Of 325 burns reported to the state last year, a total of 21 were attributed to fireworks, according to the Department of Community Affairs.

No fireworks-related burns had been reported this year as of Thursday.

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Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.