Fireworks in Miami

Every week? Seriously? We are killing our environment.

What New Year’s fun, you say! I enjoyed it, as did thousands of people at Bayfront Park in Miami. The open-air party with live music began at 3:00 p.m., and the new water fountain that has been under construction for the last few weeks worked beautifully. For a half hour, I watched an expensive display of spectacular fireworks.

Then it was over. The display filled my neighborhood with noise pollution, environmental pollution, and a toxic smoke cloud that lingered from Brickell, Downtown, and the cruise ship port until after 1:00 a.m.

Ok, calm down, you say. It’s only one New Year’s Eve display and only happens once a year.

But in Miami, it doesn’t.

And I can no longer be quiet.

This is my third winter here, and I still have no idea why there are routine fireworks displays. By routine, I mean weekly, sometimes several times a week. These are not family fireworks where a few rockets are launched, followed by cherry bombs or firecrackers lobbed by the kids. No, these are full-on professional pyrotechnic displays, something you would see on Independence Day or New Year’s Eve (see videos above and below.)

Yes, sometimes every week. Sometimes, multiple days in a week.

In our first year, I lost count of the fireworks displays. They became one more thing in the insanity of Miami, and I no longer watch them. The displays have become one more thing that requires noise-blocking headphones or earbuds in a cacophonous city.

The displays are launched from boats in the harbor. On any given evening, we can see fireworks from either balcony. I was waiting for the day fireworks were launched from both sides, which happened this year on New Year’s Eve. There were huge fireworks displays on three sides of my building. I cannot imagine what would have happened if we owned a skittish dog or two.

I researched where to purchase these professional displays in Miami. As part of my research, an article in Miami reported that pyrotechnics are down for 2024. Wow. If our activity this past year was “down,” then I’m concerned about the norm. I found nothing when searching for why there are so many pyrotechnic boats. The articles or blog posts were too general, and there was an underlying acceptance that fireworks happen on July 4 or New Year’s Eve.

But not in Miami. They happen far too often.

Then I discovered Firepower Displays Unlimited, Inc. It appears they have been in business since 1995 and provide fireworks for all types of events, whether large or small. Maybe you have a business event where you want that little extra “boost” at the end to snag that client. Then there are fireworks for weddings, weddings, and more weddings. What about birthday parties and other family celebrations?

According to the company’s Google reviews, anyone can purchase a fireworks display in South Florida for any reason. Just pull out that credit card. They will do all the work for you. (No prices were discussed in the reviews, so I have no idea how much it would take to make your baby doll happy on her birthday trip to Miami.) This company handles all permitting (many are needed, apparently), insurance, and compliance issues and only uses professional-grade fireworks. Sounds great? Right?

No. Not when you realize how much damage the fireworks are causing to Miami. The fireworks display lasted approximately one-half hour. By the end, the toxic brew of smoke in my neighborhood was so thick we could not go outside.

We ignore the smoke when those beautiful explosions hit the air, and the ocean breeze gently moves the smoke away from you (and onto your neighbor).) The fireworks are stunning, and I’ve always loved them. Moving here, however, has made me think of the fish that live in the water, the birds I no longer hear other than the grackles, and the other animals that routinely must deal with the noise and pollution.

Fireworks “contribute significantly to air and noise pollution, chemical contamination, waste generation, and wildlife disturbance.” (see link below) Annually, fireworks in the U.S. emit enough CO2, equivalent to several thousand car journeys. One fireworks display affects the air around us for days, not hours. If you want more details and the chemical breakdown, go here.

When toxic residue settles in Biscayne Bay's water, it affects the water and aquatic ecosystems. The noise¹ has profound effects on wildlife, pets, and humans alike. Birds abandon nests, mammals experience panic, and invertebrates show altered behavior. This must be one of the reasons why I see very few animals in the bay. If I were the dolphins, sharks, rays, and fish, I’d make sure I planted myself away from Miami and in the uninhabited islands of the Bahamas.²

Here is the type of display outside my apartment each week. I no longer leave my doors and windows open when this large display is close to my house. It is similar to the New Year’s Eve display at the top of this post. They are all huge. Yes, they are all beautiful—and toxic.

California’s main concern with fireworks is the possibility of starting a fire. While we don’t have that here in South Florida yet, it would be in our best interest to follow the example of the western states. As the temperature changes, our air quality will become increasingly important.

Is there another solution? Several local companies are offering drone displays. While there is some environmental impact, drones are considered an environmentally friendly alternative to fireworks. But are they? Just as we think we have a good solution for fireworks, along comes tragedy when a seven-year-old boy was hit by a drone at an Orlando holiday event several weeks ago and had to have open heart surgery.

Drone production also uses carbon fiber, aluminum, or plastic composites, motors, batteries, flight controllers, sensors, and communications systems made from copper, silicon, and other alloys. The resource extraction processes have environmental impacts, such as habitat destruction and pollution. The internal electronics are also a concern. While not a perfect solution, at least there is one. Well, maybe (see tragedy above.)

Fireworks are only one aspect of the daily environmental damage I see in Miami. For such a beautiful city that relies on the environment, the in-your-face noise pollution, personal displays of over-the-top boat traffic, cruise ship issues, tourist overcrowding, air pollution from traffic, and general lack of environmental care by its citizens is disturbing.

Fireworks are only one thing that we need to resolve to protect our environment. But can we at least start somewhere?

1. Animals are more sensitive to high-frequency noise, which can drive them to leave their young and disrupt breeding and feeding behaviors.

2. A study of migratory birds shows that they never return to the area once they are disturbed by fireworks.