"Disturbing roosting migratory birds at night can result in mass deaths," says Bateman. "Disturbing breeding birds can result in colony collapses. Seals and sea lions leave [affected] areas and expend energy swimming away during fireworks."

The Macy’s celebration, replete with 80,000 firework shells and 11 new pyrotechnic effects, returns to the East River after heading over to the Hudson in 2024.

Over 70% of some 140 people who responded to The Times’ question: “Do you prefer fireworks or a drone show for the Fourth of July?” said they preferred drones.

Founding Father John Adams once wrote that American independence should be celebrated with "illuminations from one end of this continent to the other"

More than 130 firefighters battled a fire involving fireworks explosions that engulfed four homes in Pacoima and critically injured a woman on Thursday night, authorities said.

At least one person was injured and three homes were burned during a fireworks-related fire in Pacoima, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.