Pyrotechnics Pro Explains the Art of a Massive Fireworks Show | WIRED

Ever wonder how those massive fireworks spectacles get off the ground? Pyrotechnics pro Jim Souza has you covered.

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Pyrotechnics Pro Explains the Art of a Massive Fireworks Show | WIRED

21 thoughts on “Pyrotechnics Pro Explains the Art of a Massive Fireworks Show | WIRED

  1. I remember seeing guys hand lighting fireworks @ my tiny WNY town carny show mid 70’s. Shells seemed to back flip then thumped UP & BOOM!

  2. Hmmm, how toxic are these fireworks for the air and water they are fired over. I never though about that the colors are things like barium, and aluminum…
    Edit: I looked it up and shows like this are disgustingly bad for the air and water. I’d hope people would agree that fireworks are beautiful, but our lakes and oceans are much more.

    1. Yes, there are some effects (such as horsetails or falling leaves) that make little to no sound. But many people enjoy the sound as much as the sight. Salute shells are a common firework in professional shows that create very little light or color, and are all about the bang

  3. I have been a pyrotech for 30 plus years, worked for several large companies over those years. This is the first no bull video I have seen showing a little of what goes into making a show happen. Well done.

  4. Nothing is better than a 4th of July pyrotechnic show and a good one is awesome. Love um.

  5. And of course, especially with big firework shows like the Washington DC 4th of July spectaculars, you also need to face the possibility of aerial mortars detonating in the mortars themselves during a display. But with strict controls all around the fireworks firing sites in place, these are required so if one mortar prematurely detonates at ground level mid-show, this should not cause the rest of the fireworks to blow up in a chain reaction.

    That is why Souza’s pyrotechnicians never fire the shows by hand. It is just too dangerous even with safety matches and safety fuses in place. All of their fireworks are electrically fired, and the pyrotechnicians usually stay in a protective box or shed near where the explosions take place, especially if their fireworks are shot off on barges.

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