What fireworks can you ignite in El Paso County?

You might start to hear fireworks being launched around southern Colorado, but what people don’t realize is just how dangerous they can be, and that they’re still illegal within city limits.

If you shoot off illegal fireworks outside city limits this Fourth of July, you could face a serious fine.

Natalie Sosa with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said, “Somebody can be fined up to $750, or [sentenced to] up to 6 months in jail or both.”

However, certain fireworks are allowed throughout unincorporated El Paso County. Things like fountains, spinners, smoke bombs and sparklers are OK.

“A good rule of thumb: if it explodes, flies in the air it’s going to be illegal. And that would include bottle rockets, firecrackers, mortars,” said Sosa.

We spoke with Josh Jans, the manager of the TNT firework stand in Fountain, and he said he wants people to know that everything you buy at his stand is 100 percent legal.

“The fire department does come by to make sure it is legal. Whereas we don’t sell the bottle rockets and the firecrackers and the aerials, what we do sell is legal to set off this year,” said Jans.

Fireworks contain sulfur, charcoal, and gunpowder.

Brian Vaughan with the Colorado Springs Fire Department said, “I think nationally we had 12,000 injuries from fireworks.”

The El Paso County Sheriff’s office asks that you do not bog down 911 this Fourth of July and to make sure you are only calling for emergencies.

“We just ask that you keep those calls to specific incidents where we can actually go and make contact with someone who is firing off those fireworks, or fire is caused because of the firework or somebody is injured,” said Sosa.

El Paso County deputies and CSPD will be out patrolling this weekend, so think twice before you light that fuse.