Fireworks are legal in Maine. Here's what's allowed, and what's not.

Hadley Barndollar, USA TODAY NETWORK
·2 min read

Hot dogs are on the grill, beach parking is hard to find, and traffic on Interstate 95 is gridlocked — it's summer in New England.

With the warm weather comes crackles, glimmers and gushes of color in the sky. Displays of fireworks are a season favorite, when they're safe and done legally.

Maine is an anomaly in New England, in that consumer fireworks are legal. Likely not coincidentally, it's also estimated that some of the most fireworks-related injuries occur in Maine and New Hampshire, the two states in the region where they're legal.

During the summer of 2020, the pandemic put a fizzle on major Fourth of July fireworks usually put on by municipalities. Instead, people took pyrotechnics to their own backyards, resulting in the inevitable mayhem — a 50% increase in deaths and injuries in 2020 compared to 2019.

York Days 2018 ended with a spectacular display of fireworks on Short Sands Beach.
York Days 2018 ended with a spectacular display of fireworks on Short Sands Beach.

According to a March report from the Maine State Fire Marshal's Office, 14 people were taken to medical facilities for treatment of fireworks-related injuries in 2020, and the victims ranged from ages 5 to 41.

In 2021, most annual fireworks put on by professionals had returned, and fire safety officials encouraged people to attend those, rather than experiment with illegal or unsafe fireworks in your own backyard.

So you're wondering where and how you can safely and legally enjoy fireworks this summer? We have answers to your most-asked questions, Maine.

Are fireworks legal in Maine?

In Maine, fireworks can be purchased by a person 21 or older, and set off on private property or with permission from a property owner between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. with the Fourth of July and New Year's as exceptions. Individual communities are allowed to prohibit consumer fireworks, though. The city of Portland bans them, for example.

Independence Day revelers enjoy a York Harbor fireworks display in 2016 at Hartley Mason Reservation Park.
Independence Day revelers enjoy a York Harbor fireworks display in 2016 at Hartley Mason Reservation Park.

Illegal in Maine, though, are missile-type rockets, helicopters and aerial spinners, sky rockets, bottle rockets and sky lanterns, also known as floating or Chinese lanterns.

Can you go to jail for fireworks in Maine?

A person can be fined from $50 to $500 in Maine for setting off fireworks in an area without permission.

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Are sparklers legal in Maine?

Sparklers are legal in Maine, but fire officials warn of their incredibly hot temperature and say an adult should always be present during use.

Sparklers and fireworks for backyard gatherings will be a hot commodity this summer.
Sparklers and fireworks for backyard gatherings will be a hot commodity this summer.

Where can I see fireworks in Maine?

Professional fireworks shows take place all throughout the state. Contact your municipality to find the closest one near you.

For example, the town of York has professional fireworks planned for July 2, July 3 and Aug. 7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Are 4th of July fireworks allowed in Maine? Laws, penalties and more.