Fireworks and the Fourth of July go together like hot dogs, hamburgers and patriotic music.

The loud blasts and arrays of colorful sparks they generate through the air make an emphatic conclusion to any holiday celebration.

But the joy and awe fireworks bring can also be marred by tragedy if they are used in a careless manner. And in the city of Vicksburg, the sale and use of fireworks is banned by city ordinance. The lone exception is the sale of fireworks by some local retail stores within two weeks before and five days after the holiday, and the fireworks must be kept in a place away from windows.

“Tent sales of fireworks are illegal in the city limits; that’s why you see them just outside the city limits,” Vicksburg Fire Chief Charles Atkins said.

But despite the ban, he said, some people will shoot fireworks at their homes, and if they do, they need to use caution.

“People need to have an older adult outside whenever fireworks are shot,” he said. “Children should never be allowed to handle them. The city ordinances prohibit shooting fireworks at churches or other public places.”

Warren County fire coordinator Jerry Briggs added a few other suggestions. Fireworks, he said, are not prohibited in the county. “People should follow the manufacturer’s instructions and never hold fireworks in your hand,” he said. “When you’re finished, put water on the used fireworks, and if one fails to go off, do not get it and try to relight it; douse it with water.”

And while the grass and trees are green, the Warren County area has had very little rain recently, and the potential for fire from a spark is a possibility, Warren County Emergency Management Director John Elfer said.

“If people are going to shoot fireworks, they need to follow the advice of our fire fighting professionals,” he said. “But what I would rather people do is attend organized fireworks displays like the one the city of Vicksburg is going to hold and pass on shooting fireworks this year.”