The Manhattan Fire Department responded to fewer fireworks related calls during the legal discharge dates in 2013 than in 2012. There were nine fireworks related calls in 2013, all occurring on July 4th or in the early morning hours of July 5th, with no fire loss being reported. For comparison, there were 15 fireworks related calls in 2012, including two structure fires, with fire loss of all fireworks incidents totaling $381,000.
The drier conditions in 2012 contributed to the number of grass and structure fires, but it did not affect the number of trash and dumpster fires between the two years. The numbers of trash and dumpster fires were comparable in both years and emphasizes the importance of properly disposing of spent fireworks.
