Penalty For Illegally Shooting Off Fireworks in MN

With the 4th of July in the rearview mirror less fireworks are being shot off in Minnesota in the evenings.  Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall joined me on WJON.  She indicates violators of Minnesota's fireworks laws rarely make it to her office with most of these offenses falling in the misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor category.  Kendall indicates non professionals shooting off fireworks are also taking the risk of injuring themselves and/or setting buildings on fire.

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Specifically Prohibited By Law in Minnesota:

• Firecrackers, torpedoes, missiles, skyrockets, bottle rockets, roman candles, daygo bombs, chasers, parachutes. mines and shells.

Specifically Permitted By Law in Minnesota:

• Wire or wood sparklers of not more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic composition per item.
• Ground-based sparkling devices which are non-explosive and non-aerial (fireworks packaging doesn’t leave the ground).
• Contain 75 grams or less of pyrotechnic powder / chemical mixture per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tube items.
• Approved consumer fireworks include fountains, cones, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, flitter sparklers, flashing signals / strobes, snakes, glow worms, trick noisemakers, party poppers, and snappers.

Drugs and gun related crimes continue to be a problem in Stearns County.  Kendall indicates they are doing 2-3 jury trials a week and are catching up on the backlog of cases caused in part by the pandemic.  She indicates many crimes are being committed by individuals under the influence of drugs and fentanyl being laced in drugs is still a problem in the county.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Janelle Kendall it is available below.