🎆 Boom Without the Oops: Fireworks Safety in Northwest Kansas 🎇Because the only thing that should be blown away this 4th of July is your uncle’s potato salad.

Kristina Hemel
Jul 3
3 min read

Ah, the Fourth of July in Northwest Kansas—where the wheat waves golden, the sky turns red, white, and BOOM, and at least one person insists on lighting the big one from a lawn chair.

Before you channel your inner pyrotechnic legend, let’s run through some tips to make sure your celebration ends with a bang (and not a trip to the ER, a stern lecture from the fire chief, or a grass fire that takes out half the county).

🎇 What’s Legal in Kansas?

Let’s keep it Kansas-legal, folks:

In most towns, fireworks can only be sold and used from June 27 to July 5—but city and county ordinances vary. So don’t assume what flies in Colby is cool in Goodland.
Bottle rockets and M-80s? Still illegal. Leave those to the shady guy from across the state line.
You must be 18 or older to purchase fireworks. Sorry, junior—just because you can grow a mustache doesn’t mean you can buy mortars.

👉 Check with your local city office or fire department for rules in your area. Trust us—Officer Johnson doesn't find "I thought this was Colorado" funny anymore.

🚫 Don’t Be That Guy

Skip the Selfie with the Roman Candle. You’ve got 10 fingers now. Let’s keep it that way.
Don’t Light Fireworks in the Wind. This is Northwest Kansas. It's always windy. But maybe avoid lighting your finale during a 40-mph gust straight into Grandma’s flower bed.
Use a Lighter, Not a Cigarette. Lighting a fuse with a lit Marlboro isn’t brave. It’s just asking for a burn on your lip and your ego.
No Holding Mortars. Ever. Yes, we saw it on YouTube too. Don’t.

🧯 Fireworks + Fields = Bad Combo

If your firework display is near a wheat field, a grass lot, or even a particularly crispy lawn, have a hose, bucket, or your cousin Daryl with a fire extinguisher nearby.
Northwest Kansas is dry this time of year. One rogue spark can start a wildfire faster than you can say, "I thought it was just a sparkler!"

Bonus tip: If you hear sirens and you're the only one with smoke in the sky… it’s probably you.

🐾 Don’t Forget the Pets

Fireworks and dogs go together like pickup trucks and hailstorms.
Give your pets a safe, quiet place indoors, and if Sparky ends up hiding in the bathtub, don’t blame him.
No, your cat won’t be impressed by your homemade firework finale. She’s plotting revenge.

🧨 Pro-Level Moves

Light one at a time. Even if your cousin swears by his "light-’em-all-at-once" method from 1998.
Never relight a dud. That little guy might just be slow—and he will get you when you’re not looking.
Keep a water bucket or metal can to safely dispose of used fireworks. Don’t throw them in the trash while they’re still sizzling like a fajita plate.

🎆 When in Doubt, Go Watch the Pros

There are plenty of awesome local firework shows in our area where professionals (with actual training and a safe distance from their own eyebrows) do the booming for you. Bring a lawn chair, a cooler, and leave your lighter at home. Your fingers—and the volunteer fire department—will thank you.

In Summary: Celebrate safely. Laugh loudly. Keep all your limbs. And maybe, just maybe, don’t let the guy who yells “Watch this!” be in charge of the explosives.

Happy Fourth of July from all of us at NWKS Radio💥Stay safe, stay smart, and for goodness’ sake… don’t try to launch fireworks out of a PVC pipe again. You know who you are.

Need local firework show times or ordinance info? Give your local city office or fire department a call—or check the events calendar on NWKS Radio.