Durham joins Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill in canceling July 4 fireworks

Durham announced Wednesday it has canceled the city’s July Fourth celebration, the latest summer event felled by the coronavirus pandemic.

In Durham, the Durham Bulls baseball game and annual fireworks display draw thousands of people to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park downtown every year.

“This was not an easy decision as we look forward to hosting this family-oriented event each year to include a day of baseball, food, fun and fireworks,” DPR Interim Director Joy Guy said in a news release. “However, safety is our number one priority.”

As cancellations mount across the United States, a national group is urging people not to replace the celebrations with backyard fireworks that can cause injury and tax first responders and emergency rooms during the coronavirus epidemic.

“While fireworks are an emblem of July Fourth celebrations, in the absence of public displays this year, we strongly encourage people to find safe and creative alternatives for celebrating the holiday,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at the National Fire Protection Association in a news release.

“Fireworks are simply too dangerous and unpredictable to be used safely by consumers,” Carli said. “Even sparklers, which are often considered harmless enough for children, burn as hot as 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and can cause third-degree burns.”

Fireworks caused an estimated 19,500 fires in 2018, according to the association. Those fires killed five people, caused 46 civilian injuries, and $105 million in direct property damage, it stated.

The current “Safer at Home” phase of Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order limits outdoor gatherings to 25 people with social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Other July 4, summer cancellations

▪ The city of Raleigh has canceled its July 4 fireworks display in the PNC Arena/Carter-Finley Stadium/N.C. State Fairgrounds area.

▪ The town of Carrboro has canceled its July 4 celebration, but Mayor Lydia Lavelle will host a virtual gathering of community members at noon for the annual community reading of Frederick Douglass’s essay “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro.”

▪ The town of Chapel Hill has canceled its July 4 celebration at Southern Community Park.

▪ The town of Garner has canceled its traditional July 3 Independence Day Celebration. It may reschedule the fireworks portion for later in the year.

▪ The town of Morrisville has canceled its July 3 fireworks celebration at Morrisville Community Park

▪ The town of Cary has canceled its Independence Day weekend events, including the Independence Day Olde Time Celebration, Koka Booth events and WakeMed Soccer Park fireworks.

▪ Cary also has canceled its Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival Aug. 22-23 at the Cary Town Hall Campus.

▪ The town of Wake Forest has canceled its traditional July 3 Fireworks Spectacular but plans an aerial fireworks display that residents can watch in a variety of ways, including Facebook Live and WFTV 10.

This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 10:41 AM.