America's 250th birthday is a few days away.
Firework display organizers have a lot of considerations on their hands to keep their displays from causing disasters.
Most, if not all, of them hire professional pyrotechnicians who know how to prevent fireworks from firing off randomly.
Some of the most well-known fireworks displays in Reno will look slightly different for 2026.
The Reno Aces will be on the road in Tacoma on July 4, so Greater Nevada Field is welcoming the California Collegiate League All-Star Game instead. Still, the safety precautions remain the same.
When describing the setup for the Fourth of July, Senior Vice President of Operations Anthony Altamura says, "We do our setup the exact same that we do for an Aces game. So that is clearing out, from the right field pole to the left field foul pole. We clear out all the fans on the berm and the bridge as well."
Fans will be allowed in this area until the final innings of the game.
Close by, the former Row and current Caesars Entertainment properties downtown are bringing back their celebration as well.
"They go off the top of our building, which they have for years. Very safe up there,” says Tony Marini with Caesars. “And the company that we hire has done a great job over the years, and we also work with our local agencies like the Reno Fire Department to make sure that they know what we're doing.”
Fireworks are going off at locations all across Reno-Sparks this weekend, so don't add your backyard to that list.
Fireworks are illegal in Washoe County. You can't have, use, or sell them without a professional permit.
Violators can expect to pay a fine up to $1,000 and spend up to six months behind bars. So let the professionals create these extravagant displays of fireworks.
Local fire agencies, including Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, are beefing up staffing this weekend in case people don't listen and start a show anyway.
"They can really cause some catastrophic fires, which we're trying to prevent,” says Josh Kutz, a battalion chief for TMFR. “Especially with how low our fuel moisture is, and the weather that we have in the region. It's just really not a good recipe for a good time. Not the best way to celebrate America's 250th."
