Fireworks are a popular ghoulish tradition at Halloween, but many firefighters will tell you they are one of the day's darkest traditions.
B.C. has two-thirds of all fireworks injuries in Canada.
Youngster Ben Desharnais had a close call last year when a neighbour's firework malfunctioned.
"It flew and it hit my leg and I cried and another firework went into the house and almost hit somebody," he said.
Ben got off with just a welt on his leg -- but it's the sort of thing Vancouver firefighters hear about all too often. Fire Captain Gabe Roder said because fireworks are made all over the world there is no way of telling whether it's safe or not.
"We have to treat each firework as if it's going to be a shoddy firework," he said.
Fireworks are more dangerous if you do something foolish - but even using fireworks properly includes an element of risk. Roder recommends thinking safety first.
"Use a good barbeque lighter to light them," he said.
"That gives you a little bit of room to back up right away. We encourage people to also use safety goggles and wear some gloves."
Here's a list of tips to keep you safe from fireworks-related injuries:
- Never relight a fuse
- Bury a firework half way in sand or soil
- Keep clear of overhead wires or trees
- Keep water and sand nearby in case of fire
- Keep everyone at least 20 meters away
Ben, for one, is going to heed the advice.
"I'm just going to stand farther away from the fireworks," he said.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
