Over the past couple years event professionally produced fireworks shows have come under scrutiny due to their impact on pets, kids and those with PSTD. This has led to local municipalities to make an effort to inform their residents when private shows are occurring (such as during a wedding at a country club). There wasn’t talk of banning them, just providing information so people could prepare.

This is the first Fourth of July in Pennsylvania with legal fireworks for the general public. Now that anyone in Pennsylvania can buy some fireworks and shoot them off (not that they didn’t before), we have wondered what the impact would be on neighborhoods and local municipalities.

Late last night someone posted in the Bridgeport PA (without the censorship) Facebook group a complaint about fireworks:

Enough with the freaking fireworks every night at 10-1030!!

The person behind at least some of the fireworks is Daniel Kolenda, who quickly took credit. He received some criticism and some support in the comments that followed. Most people didn’t care about people shooting off fireworks, but preferred they are shot off earlier in the evening.

There ended up being multiple posts and dozens of comments about the issue and questioning whether Kolenda is an ass or just a guy trying to entertain himself and at least some in the neighborhood. Earlier today, Kolenda ramped things up with this post:

What no one pointed out in the comments and posts is that its likely illegal to do what he is doing in Bridgeport with fireworks. The Pennsylvania State Police  outlined the restrictions put in place by the state law involving consumer fireworks:

• Fireworks cannot be ignited or discharged on a public or private property without express permission of the property owner.
• Fireworks cannot be discharged while the person is under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or another drug.
• Fireworks cannot be discharged from, within or toward a motor vehicle or building.
• Fireworks cannot be discharged within 150 feet of an occupied structure.

Is it possible to be in Bridgeport and not be within 150 feet of an occupied structure? Maybe at a park, but even there, it’s likely there is a local ordinance against bringing explosives into a park. People in the comments mention fireworks going off close to their homes (we can’t be sure if those are from Kolenda). You can read the entire fireworks law here.

Are people shooting off fireworks in your neighborhood? Are they doing it reasonably or doing it for long periods and/or late in the evening?

Let us know in the comments.