Using old flares for New Years Eve fireworks

[STOL71]

Got expired flares that I would like to use New Years Eve as fireworks. The party is not anywhere near water.
Health and safety aside, would that be allowed? Your counsel on the legality of this matter would be appreciated.

 

[NormanS]

Do what you like with your hand helds, but don't go firing off distress rockets anywhere near me. :disgust:

 

[lw395]

If you have to ask, you probably should not be allowed a sparkler.....

 

[matthewriches]

Just lol

If you have to ask, you probably should not be allowed a sparkler.....

 

[Elemental]

Got expired flares that I would like to use New Years Eve as fireworks. The party is not anywhere near water.
Health and safety aside, would that be allowed? Your counsel on the legality of this matter would be appreciated.

There'll be loads of peeps along to chew you out shortly... The thing to bear in mind is that display fireworks are designed to burn for a short period of time and any airborne artefacts are totally extinguished by the time they reach the ground. Flares are designed to burn as long as possible and to be still burning brightly as they hit the sea... I suspect that fact alone may render them technically illegal.

 

[ShinyShoe]

You would still be signalling distress where there isn't one.

However... Having seen them used Overland my biggest concern would be the 'ground' ... Or rather my car that was missed by inches, the trees that one got caught in or numerous other things...

 

[MoodySabre]

These things are designed to be used in extremis and to burn long and hot. There is always a risk factor IMO - a risk not be taken for fun even if they were in-date.

 

[sarabande]

Here are the rules.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/disposing-of-unwanted-marine-flares

I would never set off a rocket / parachute as the pyro will hit the ground still burning or incandescent.

Hand helds ? The smoke is pretty vile and acrid , so you may not win friends and influence people - except, perhaps, adversely.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Here are the rules. ..... https://www.gov.uk/guidance/disposing-of-unwanted-marine-flares
.....

For those who don't / can't open a link, the relevant bit quoted from the above is: -

Flares and the lawIt is an offence to:


Fire flares on land or in a harbour;


Fire flares at sea for testing, practice or as fireworks;


Dump pyrotechnics at sea.


Damaged or out of date flares should never be used. They should be disposed of safely as soon as possible.

The fact of the matter is that it is illegal. I guess organised training sessions have some sort of dispensation. People have been arrested for setting them off e.g. https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ares-let-off-at-chelsea-v-crystal-palace-game

 

[Momac]

The party is not anywhere near water

Even so someone may call the emergency services.

Not to mention the flare may continue to burn until landing somewhere it could do harm such as in the road or on someones property ..

 

[Old Bumbulum]

The idea that anyone would call emergency services on a night when fireworks are rife in an area away from coasts and moors/mountains is about as far-fetched as an idea can be. For a start flares have no recognised function outside those areas, they mean nothing to anyone. They are also most unlikley to be recognised as emergency flares anyway. It is simply ridiculous to suggest that this might result in emergency call-outs. Why would they respond to a firework? Does Guy Fawkes day result in thousands of mistaken SAR callouts because of fireworks? A burning barrel of tar is supposed to be a maritime emergency signal as is an inverted flag. Would anyone mistake either of these for an emergency on land? Ridiculous!
The bit about parachute flares burning to the ground is a better argument, but rather to be careful rather than to simply forbid it. If you choose your ground and consider the wind direction and terrain why not get in a bit of valuable practice to learn the reality of firing these things?

 

[seaangler23]

The idea that anyone would call emergency services on a night when fireworks are rife in an area away from coasts and moors/mountains is about as far-fetched as an idea can be. For a start flares have no recognised function outside those areas, they mean nothing to anyone. They are also most unlikley to be recognised as emergency flares anyway. It is simply ridiculous to suggest that this might result in emergency call-outs. Why would they respond to a firework? Does Guy Fawkes day result in thousands of mistaken SAR callouts because of fireworks? A burning barrel of tar is supposed to be a maritime emergency signal as is an inverted flag. Would anyone mistake either of these for an emergency on land? Ridiculous!
The bit about parachute flares burning to the ground is a better argument, but rather to be careful rather than to simply forbid it. If you choose your ground and consider the wind direction and terrain why not get in a bit of valuable practice to learn the reality of firing these things?

Really, I regularly see the emergency services around here getting called out the less, the general public panic at anything out the ordinary.
A flare is easily distinguished against a firework and some doo gooder will ruin the relevant emergency services new year with a call out

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The idea that anyone would call emergency services on a night when fireworks are rife in an area away from coasts and moors/mountains is about as far-fetched as an idea can be. For a start flares have no recognised function outside those areas, they mean nothing to anyone. They are also most unlikley to be recognised as emergency flares anyway. It is simply ridiculous to suggest that this might result in emergency call-outs. Why would they respond to a firework? Does Guy Fawkes day result in thousands of mistaken SAR callouts because of fireworks? A burning barrel of tar is supposed to be a maritime emergency signal as is an inverted flag. Would anyone mistake either of these for an emergency on land? Ridiculous!
The bit about parachute flares burning to the ground is a better argument, but rather to be careful rather than to simply forbid it. If you choose your ground and consider the wind direction and terrain why not get in a bit of valuable practice to learn the reality of firing these things?

Because the wind at the elevation reached by a parachute flare may be quite different from that at ground level. Legality aside (and we have already seen that it is illegal), I live in the wilds of East Anglia, and even in an area which is largely rural the risks of a parachute flare (which WILL reach the ground while still burning) setting crops, trees or buildings alight is too high to even consider. The countryside is more flammable than people think! In hilly areas, the chances of setting off a peat or heather fire are large. In fact it is difficult to imagine a place in the UK where the descent of a burning pyrotechnic would be safe, except at sea.

 

[Graham376]

Here as usual, the river Tejo around Lisbon will be well lit up by parachute flares and Chinese lanterns at midnight on Monday, the lanterns often higher than aircraft on finals. No-one will notice a boat actually in distress.

I've let off date expired flares a few times well away from the sea and was surprised by the kick of a parachute flare. Would be a good idea to have authorised practice days for people to fire them off, as has happened in various UK locations in past years.

 

[penberth3]

...If you choose your ground and consider the wind direction and terrain why not get in a bit of valuable practice to learn the reality of firing these things?

Because it's illegal?

sarabande's post #8 gives you chapter and verse.

 

[lw395]

Really, I regularly see the emergency services around here getting called out the less, the general public panic at anything out the ordinary.
A flare is easily distinguished against a firework and some doo gooder will ruin the relevant emergency services new year with a call out

Or they'll be called out for someone with life-changing burns.

 

[saab96]

There'll be loads of peeps along to chew you out shortly... The thing to bear in mind is that display fireworks are designed to burn for a short period of time and any airborne artefacts are totally extinguished by the time they reach the ground. Flares are designed to burn as long as possible and to be still burning brightly as they hit the sea... I suspect that fact alone may render them technically illegal.

This is true. It will still be burning when it lands on someone's roof

 

[Hacker]

I was on the beach at Calshot in the early 80’s for firework night. Someone on the Gurnard side fired a flare across the Solent and it hit someone in the crowd not far from me. Be very careful.

 

[STOL71]

There'll be loads of peeps along to chew you out shortly... The thing to bear in mind is that display fireworks are designed to burn for a short period of time and any airborne artefacts are totally extinguished by the time they reach the ground. Flares are designed to burn as long as possible and to be still burning brightly as they hit the sea... I suspect that fact alone may render them technically illegal.

The above convinced me not to use flares as fireworks.
Thank you for everyone's input.

 

[Birdseye]

Got expired flares that I would like to use New Years Eve as fireworks. The party is not anywhere near water.
Health and safety aside, would that be allowed? Your counsel on the legality of this matter would be appreciated.

If you ask that question of anyone in authority, the default answer will be NO. As it will with almost anything out of the ordinary.

But in real life who will be about to see you? I would avoid the parachute flares - you dont want to set fire to someone's house / car / wife do you? And I would avoid the smokes too. Fancy an orange lawn / dog? But as for the hand held flares I will be getting on with it. If I remember.