Fireworks, heat and drought put this Fourth of July at high risk for wildfires

By — Lauren Lowman, The Conversation Lauren Lowman, The Conversation Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/fireworks-heat-and-drought-put-this-fourth-of-july-at-high-risk-for-wildfires Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Fireworks, heat and drought put this Fourth of July at high risk for wildfires Nation Jul 4, 2026 1:22 PM EDT Across the United States, the sky will be erupting with fireworks on July 4, 2026 and the days around it as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence . Many cities will be hosting spectacular fireworks shows. WATCH: The growing dangers of record heat waves like the one engulfing July 4th celebrations But not everyone will be leaving the pyrotechnics to the professionals, so let's talk about the risk of fireworks starting fires , including dangerous wildfires. Fireworks, from bottle rockets to Roman candles, start a lot of fires in the U.S. every year – 32,000 of them in 2023 alone . And each year there is a clear spike in human-caused fires on July 4 . In 2026, much of the U.S. has been very dry and in moderate to severe drought . That has left many areas at high risk for fires igniting and spreading. Several communities issued fireworks bans ahead of the holiday because of the risk and, in some especially dry areas, even professional fireworks shows were canceled or replaced with drone shows. That included several shows in Colorado, where destructive wildfires were already burning and forcing evacuations . Dry start to the year In the first half of 2026, the U.S. has already experienced more wildfires than in the first half of any of the previous 10 years , which has included some of the country's worst fire years on record. The southeastern U.S. had far-below-normal precipitation in early 2026, which led to extremely dry conditions that fueled wildfires in the spring . At the end of June, more than 40% of the region was still in severe drought or worse . In the West, a winter snow drought has left forests without the usual moisture they would get from a lingering snowpack. READ MORE: Residents on notice as fast-moving fire in Utah, the largest in the U.S., blackens more forestland Large parts of the West and Great Plains are in extreme or exceptional drought, including areas of Oklahoma, Nebraska and Utah, where wildfires in June forced entire communities to evacuate . And the national wildfire forecast shows above normal fire risk continuing into July in much of the U.S. West and Texas. Wildland fire risk projections for July 2026. Graphic from the National Interagency Fire Center At the same time, large parts of the U.S. West and Southeast are forecast to see above-normal heat along with dryness through early July. Heat waves significantly raise the fire risk. A recent study found that 42% of all land burned in the West from 2001 to 2024 happened during or right after a heat wave. 4th of July fireworks In hot, dry condi