Mention the Fourth of July around Fayette County and two things come to mind: Peachtree City’s annual parade and, of course, fireworks.

Peachtree City is known for its amazing fireworks display, but some people still like to shoot their own fireworks at home. While they may be fun to watch, fireworks handled incorrectly can have deadly consequences, fire officials warn.

The Peachtree City Fire Marshal’s Office notes that most fireworks consist of chemicals that burn at extremely high temperatures, much higher than burning paper or wood. Therefore, the likelihood of a serious or even fatal burn injury is much higher.

Also, the city has very few open spaces where fireworks can be safely launched, officials said. A big concern with bottle rockets, which are illegal in Georgia, is that they will fall back to the ground and perhaps land on a house or in the woods and can start fires.

Several years ago, people shooting fireworks unintentionally launched a missive into the crowd on the south end of Lake Peachtree minutes before the city’s fireworks display. No one was injured.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), amateur fireworks use can lead to injuries such as permanent scarring, loss of vision and dismemberment. Pyrotechnic devices ranging from sparklers to aerial rockets cause thousands of fires and serious injuries each year.

To keep the public safe from fireworks-related injuries and deaths, the nonprofit NFPA urges everyone to treat fireworks, whether legal or illegal for consumers, as suitable only for use by trained professionals. According to NFPA, amateur fireworks use endangers not only the users, but also bystanders and surrounding property and structures.

"Safe and sane fireworks don't exist," says Dr. John Hall, NFPA's Division Manager of Fire Analysis and Research. "When things go wrong with fireworks, they go very wrong, very fast, far faster than any fire protection provisions can reliably respond."

Fireworks are dangerous and unpredictable, especially in the hands of amateurs," says Judy Comoletti, NFPA's Division Manager of Public Education. "The few seconds of pleasure those fireworks may bring are not worth the risk of injury, permanent scarring, or even death."

PCFD says “With these types of risks to individuals and property, even “sparkler” type fireworks that are technically legal in Georgia should be avoided.

Fire Marshal Dailey also reminded July 4th participants that no amateur fireworks or sparklers, even those legal in the state, are permitted in City parks or on City property where viewers will gather to watch the parade and licensed fireworks display over Lake Peachtree.