Yuma warns residents about illegal fireworks before Fourth of July

Yuma officials warned residents that fireworks that leave the ground, shoot flaming material into the air or explode are illegal, after one woman said debris from neighborhood fireworks caused about $1,600 in damage to her car. She said the noise in her neighborhood goes on “from basically sundown to sunrise,” turning the holiday into a nightly problem for nearby homes and pets.

Fireworks can cause serious injury and start dangerous fires, and city rules limit permissible consumer fireworks to private property within Yuma city limits. Any large aerial or ground display inside the city requires a permit from the Yuma Fire Department, and the fire chief or designee must approve the operator, location and handling plan before the display can go forward.

Arizona law treats the sale and use of permissible consumer fireworks as a matter of statewide concern, but Yuma keeps its own local limits in place. Fireworks may be used only June 24 through July 6 and December 26 through January 4, and they are prohibited on public property, including parks, sidewalks, streets and rights-of-way. Bottle rockets, skyrockets, missile-type rockets, helicopters, torpedoes, roman candles and jumping jacks are illegal fireworks.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission counted 15 fireworks-related deaths in 2025 and estimated about 13,000 injuries nationwide. Hands and fingers accounted for 35% of injuries, head, face and ears for 22%, and burns made up 38% of fireworks-related emergency room visits. Sparklers burn at about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yuma fire crews respond every year to fireworks-related fires in palm trees, trash receptacles and similar hazards. The city is also hosting its free 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular at Desert Sun Stadium on Saturday, July 4, from 6 to 10 p.m.