US Cities Replacing Fireworks With Drones, Citing Sustainability Concerns

This year a number of US cities are replacing traditional Fourth of July fireworks with drone shows citing fire danger and air quality concerns. 

In California, firework shows in La Jolla and Ocean Beach will be replaced with high-tech drone light shows, according to NBC 7 San Diego. 

Salt Lake City, Utah, is trying an alternative way of celebrating Independence Day with its first-ever drone show. The city’s mayor, Erin Mendenhall, cited the drones will mitigate fire risk.

“As temperatures rise and fire danger increases, we must be conscientious of both our air quality and the potential for wildfires,” Mayor Mendenhall wrote in a press release. 

In neighboring Colorado, the City of Boulder has also decided to try drones this year instead of fireworks. 

“The shift from traditional fireworks to drones was not an easy decision and based on a number of factors, including increased fire danger fueled by climate change,” the City of Boulder wrote on Facebook. 

More and more metro areas are going with drone shows rather than fireworks due to sustainability reasons. 

As for Americans having backyard BBQ parties, they’re not giving up their roman candles, mortars, firecrackers, and bottle rockets anytime soon. Americans spent $370 million on pyrotechnics from China in 2020. 

Meanwhile… 

… and then there’s this. 

While metro areas are switching to drone shows, red-blooded Americans will never give up bottle rockets and mortars. They’re just too much damn fun until someone blows off a finger.