Overview
- Fireworks retail sales opened under the state holiday window on June 24 and run through early July while many cities, including San Antonio and Austin, continue to prohibit consumer fireworks inside city limits.
- Bexar and other counties allow fireworks in unincorporated areas but enforce distance rules that bar ignition within 600 feet of schools, hospitals, nursing homes or places of worship and within 100 feet of flammable-gas sites or retail booths.
- Violations can be charged as a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $500 and reckless fires can trigger state arson charges that carry higher fines and possible jail time.
- Fire and safety officials urge simple precautions—soak spent fireworks in water before disposal, never relight duds, keep a hose or bucket nearby—and warn that even sparklers can burn at about 3,000°F so they should not be given to children.
- Authorities recommend attending professional displays because 1.3G professional shows require permits and inspections, and officials expect heavier use and more first-time users during the 250th Independence Day, increasing the chance of accidental fires and enforcement calls.