Most people are aware of the firework basics – they’re loud, they can produce different colours and shapes, and they’re typically tied to major holidays like July 4th or Bonfire Night. There are a lot of other facts and things about fireworks, though, that might not seem as obvious – these range from historical uses to how fireworks are made, through to some of the hidden dangers that fireworks can pose if you’re not careful. The following 30 things you didn’t know about fireworks should hopefully be useful, then, for the next time you put on or go to a fireworks display.
1 – Wet fireworks can still be a risk, even if they’ve been left on the ground for a long period of time. Most fireworks organisers recommend soaking fireworks for 24-48 hours in a bucket before being thrown away.
2 – Fireworks have actually been in use for over 2000 years, and were used in China.
3 – The biggest ever chocolate firework was a whopping 3m high and 1.5 wide, and contained Swiss chocolates.
4 – The largest ever fireworks weighed about 13 kg.
5 – The longest ever fireworks display was held in Portugal, and involved 66,326 individual fireworks.
6 – The first fireworks couldn’t achieve the range of colours we now see – oranges and whites were the standard colours; later fireworks used salts to create different colours.
7 – Fireworks light up before you hear the explosion, as light travels a million times faster than sound.
8 – Fireworks have been used as weapons in the past, and most notably as part of flaming arrows and shells.
9 – The ratio of shell size to burst diameter in a display is usually 1 to 4 – this allows pyrotechnicians to assemble different sizes to the same ratio.
10 – Fireworks can be toxic to the lungs if smoke is directly breathed in.
11 – Firework recipes for certain brands are usually kept a closely guarded secret, and are owned by different companies.
12 – The average fireworks show, which can last 25 minutes, can take up to 100 hours of preparation.
13 – In the 1996 Chinese New Year, firecrackers were lit in a string for 22 hours.
14 – The first ever recorded display in the United Kingdom was for the wedding of King Henry VII in 1486.
15 – Aerial shells for fireworks have 2 fuses – one for external lighting, and a secondary fuse that sets them off.
16 – Static electricity in synthetic clothing like polyester can accidentally set off fireworks.
17 – In Japanese, the word for fireworks is ‘hanabi,’ which translates to ‘fire-flower’.
18 – If you combine three sparklers together, you have the same heat as a blow torch.
19 – Rockets can reach speeds of 150 mph, with shells achieving 200 mph.
20 – Disney World holds more than 1,000 individual fireworks shows every year.
21 – 8,000 emergency room visits were as the result of firework related injuries in the United States in July 2011.
22 – 90 per cent of the fireworks sold in the UK are made in China.
23 – Over half of the injuries that come as the result of fireworks are suffered by people under 16 years old.
24 – Ancient Chinese fireworks makers used bamboo shoots as tubes.
25 – The safest fireworks carry the British Standard 7114, or CE for Europe, and have English instructions.
26 – Fireworks that don’t explode properly, or explode in their tubes, are called ‘flowerpots’.
27 – In Japan, people at fireworks shows shout ‘Tamaya’ and ‘Kagiya’ at displays; these names refer to ancient fireworks houses in Tokyo.
28 – In Mexico, towers are decorated with fireworks for fiestas, and are called castillos.
29 – Computers are now used to synchronise the launch of fireworks in large shows.
30 – The first use of gunpowder in England has been attributed to the Franciscan monk Roger Bacon.
About Author
Olivia is a mother of two girls aged 6 and 10. She recommends visiting Dynamic Fireworks when looking for Fireworks For Sale. She enjoys taking advantage of free time to go out her girls. She can be found blogging about the many aspect of family life and the highs and lows encountered.