Fireworks: If It Goes Boom, it's Illegal in Illinois

(Undated) -- Fireworks and the Fourth of July go hand-in-hand, and Illinoisans are being reminded to follow the law when celebrating this week. While you may hear blasts coming from a neighbor's yard, most fireworks are illegal in Illinois and State Fire Marshal Larry Matkaitis says that includes firecrackers, bottle rockets and Roman candles. Novelty items such as sparklers, snappers and smokers are allowed, but Matkaitis cautions that doesn't make them safe. Sparklers can get as hot as 18-hundred degrees Fahrenheit. According to the U-S Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 200 people visit emergency rooms every day with fireworks-related injuries in the weeks surrounding the July 4th holiday.