These fire-prone places are ditching fireworks for drones this July Fourth

Jane Tyska / Digital First Media / East Bay Times via Getty Images

After two years without fireworks, the California resort community of North Lake tahoe is ready to light up the sky again. More than 100 drones will fly into the sky for a light show. As California copes with a cruel megadry, city planners chose fire safety and sustainable living over nostalgia.

"Fireworks come with their own list of known environmental impacts--including noise pollution, impacts to the lake, and increased risk of fire at a time when the wildfire risk is already so high."

The entire of Placer County, where the North Lake Tahoe drone show will take place, is dealing with severe dry conditions.

The bone-dry conditions made worse by the heat and climate change turned the landscape into a fire hazard. The vegetation is dry enough to cause a fire. firework shows have a lot of those.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments in the US responded to an estimated 19,500 calls for fires caused by fireworks in the past year. The fires injured 46 people and killed five.

It isn't a surprise that communities in the western US are turning to less risky drones shows. This year, along with North Lake Tahoe, there are others. The opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl halftime show, and Drake's summer tour are just a few of the big events in which drones have appeared.

Graham Hill, founder and CEO of Hire UAV Pro, said that demand for drone shows is larger this year. Most communities didn't know this was a viable option last year.

It can be difficult for small towns to find a cheaper option. The association asked for donations from local organizations and residents to help pay for the show. The bill for a small fireworks show can be as low as $2,000, but the bill for a Drones show can be as high as $25,000 or more.

In the fire prone west, some communities are sticking with their traditions. South Lake Tahoe narrowly escaped the Caldor fire last year, and is having a firework show this year.

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