Fireworks - legal and illegal - can present fire dangers this time of year in Minnesota

Minnesota State Fire Marshal Dan Krier says many don't realize they're using explosives when shooting off things like firecrackers during the 4th of July.

"It explodes. Using that improperly can cause physical damage and harm to people, and it can even kill people," Krier says.

Krier says it's important to keep tabs on exactly where your fireworks are landing.

"So, it's that accountability and trackability of where are all of the pieces of that fireworks going so that I can make sure that it doesn't cause a fire or damage," he adds.

In other words, what goes up, must come down. Krier says while injuries related to shooting off fireworks is still the biggest worry, the debris can cause fires.

"Several years ago we saw 600 fires that were directly related to fireworks, and then 20% of those resulted in a structure fire," Krier explains. "So, a house or a shed, some structure caught fire because of that."

State fire data shows fire reports spike in the days leading up to the 4th of July, as well as the week after the holiday.

"So the change in moisture levels, that change in humidity, that cardboard, that box, that paper is going to absorb that moisture," he explains. "And it's going to degrade it even slightly over the year."

That issue of the age of your fireworks could present some extra dangers.

If you have legal or illegal fireworks left over from last year, it's best to discard them in a safe manner by contacting your local household hazardous waste site.