You want friends and family to drop by your house during the Fourth of July weekend, not the fire department. That's why volunteer firefighters in Linglestown, Dauphin County, say even with small, legal fireworks, you have to be careful.

"Parents need to store them in a safe place," said Linglestown's Assistant Fire Chief Dan Crum. "Preferably out of the reach of children, with a lock that only the parents have access to so the children can't get them."

Crum said when it is time to light up, that's an adult job. And don't do it on your dry lawn.

"It has been dry," said Crum. "Make sure that you're in an open area like a gravel or paved driveway - not up against the house and away from anything flammable such as gas grills or gasoline. A wide open space where no debris will catch on fire."

Most kids love sparklers, but Crum says sparklers are the biggest threat to starting a fire. About a week and a half ago in York, kids playing with sparklers started a fire that destroyed three vacant row homes.

The Linglestown volunteer firefighters showed us just how hot sparkers can get with an infrared thermometer. The readout showed more than 880 degrees.

And even though kids love to hold sparklers, these veteran firefighters say lighting them on the gravel or pavement is a better idea.

"The sparklers are hot enough to easily ignite clothing if they come in contact with it," said Assistant Chief Crum.

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