Lighting hits firework - GIF

[jdurand]

For centuries it was commonly believed that lightning comes down from the sky because that is what we see as our eyes are not quick enough to see otherwise. All of the current scientific data now says it is static electricity on the ground that goes UP to discharge. Static electricity expecially of that magnitude along with numerous pounds of "Flash powder" used in the fireworks is a recipe for disaster. That powder is unstable very sensitive and susceptible to detonation by static electricity, shock etc. That is why factories making fireworks in foreign countries blow-up and kill the employees frequently. I certainly see why any good pyro person would not want to do a commercial show during a thunderstorm.

Actually, the flash powder inside the shells is pretty safe. The big danger is from the "safer" e-matches, some people erroneously call them squibs. When doing a hand fired show there's no electrical bits so other than not wanting to stand in an open field during lightning, there's not really a danger of anything going off. More likely to get the quick match wet and then things don't launch...or worse they're slow to launch. As in you walk up to a gun later and THEN it goes off.

The only people really in danger in a hand-fired show are the guy lighting them (like me) and the guy/gal literally watching my back to put out flames or drag me away in case of accident.

With an electrical show you have static, friction, and impact sensitive e-matches (think strike anywhere match with wires) that are either installed in the shells at the distribution center and then trucked to the site or they are put in just before the show. THAT is dangerous. Then, lighting nearby could induce enough current to fire any number of shells.

While electrical shells allow precise timing and make some people feel it's safer, I'll take hand firing.