Put down the lighter and step away from the Roman candle

If it levitates, soars, scoots, shoots or reports, don’t set a match to it in Albemarle County or Charlottesville on this Fourth of July.

Local law enforcement and fire officials are warning that fireworks from bottle rockets to firecrackers are illegal not only in their localities, but throughout the state. In most areas of Virginia, the only fireworks that are legal are those that sit in one place and shoot sparks, providing they don’t shoot too high. In Charlottesville, even the sparklers are illegal.

Officials say they’re not just being killjoys. They say pyrotechnics have been known to wound, damage and burn people and property.

“What we see primarily are injuries — most of which are minor — and property damage, but sometimes we have incidences where fireworks will start a fire,” said James F. Barber, assistant chief of fire prevention for Albemarle County. “If fireworks land on a roof or in a dry patch of grass, it can cause a lot of trouble.”

Barber said the unpredictable nature of consumer fireworks makes them a safety hazard.

“There is not a great deal of quality control in a lot of these fireworks, unlike the commercial fireworks you see at McIntire Park,” he said. “You may light the fuse on one bottle rocket and have two seconds before it launches. You may light a fuse on another from the exact same package and it will go off almost immediately.”

Some fireworks may be duds. Others may appear to be duds, but be doing a slow burn on the inside until the spark burns through wadding to reach the charge, Barber said. That could cause an unexpected explosion, injury or even start a fire.

The concern is great enough that the Virginia Department of Forestry is warning of potential forest fire and wildfire risks from illegal fireworks. Even legal fireworks are a concern.

“One spark is all it would take for a wildfire to start,” said Fred Turck, assistant director for wildfire prevention and education with the forestry department. “Fire-works that have finished burning are still extremely hot, and they can smolder in dry grass or leaves before a fire ignites.”

Turck said that a lack of significant rain in many areas during the month of June has left areas of the state with dry grass and trees, making them more vulnerable to fireworks and sparklers gone awry.

Setting off illegal fireworks could also attract police officers.

“We get a lot of calls on them, that’s for sure,” said Lt. Todd Hopwood, Albemarle County police spokesman. “It’s one of those things where, if we catch someone red-handed, we’ll write them a summons.”

Possessing or igniting illegal fireworks can carry up to a $2,500 fine or a year in jail, Barber said.

“I know people like them and they’re fun, but I really don’t want to see another child with an injured eye or hand from illegal fireworks,” Barber said. “Unfortunately, we see it all too often.”