Celebrating the Fourth of July for some means firing up the grill, loading up the cooler and craning necks skyward at nightfall as the sky is filled with the brilliance of red, white and blue explosions.

Along with the dozens of fireworks shows taking place across Central Florida, some residents will choose to create their own pyrotechnic magic with a trip to the nearest pop-up fireworks retail tent.

And as they do every year, local officials are warning consumers that not all fireworks are legal.

Florida law prohibits any fireworks that fly through the air or explode — such as Roman candles, bottle rockets and mortars — for recreational use.

But according to state law, if they are used to scare off birds from farms or fish hatcheries, the explosives are fair game.

"A lot of organizations use the agricultural exemption but that still doesn't make it legal," said Anna Alexopoulos, a spokeswoman with the Division of the State Fire Marshal.

But enforcing the statute is complicated, law enforcement official say. Absent any concerted enforcement push, the practice generally goes unchecked.

Officers and deputies will respond if a resident complains about a neighbor's illegal fireworks. But the officer must witness the explosion in order to make an arrest and confiscate the items. Arrests are rare, authorities said.

"We address the issue on a case-by-case basis," said Orlando police Cpl. Dave Allmond. "We take it very seriously because they are dangerous. If it's brought to our attention we would enforce the statute."

At most Central Florida fireworks stands, consumers are asked to sign a waiver acknowledging they will only use the illegal fireworks for agricultural purposes. Signing the form doesn't guarantee the consumer protection from the law — but it does absolve the vendor of any legal responsibility, state officials said.

"It's not up to us to explain it. It's up to them to purchase them legally," said Sharon Johnson, president of Tampa-based Galaxy Fireworks Inc., which has a stand in Orlando off of East Colonial Drive.

For vendors, it's about business. But for consumers, unlawful fireworks can have hefty penalties.

"If you fill out the form and use the fireworks for something other than agricultural purposes and are caught, it's a first degree misdemeanor," Alexopoulos said. It's punishable by up to 1 year in jail or $1,000 in fines.

In Orange County, Fire Rescue officials work with registered vendors to confirm they are only selling the fireworks approved by state and county ordinances. But that doesn't remove the risk.

"Even those fireworks that are deemed 'safe' are still very dangerous. Sparklers can burn at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit," said Fire Rescue spokesman John Mulhall. "That's still hot."

Sparklers and fireworks sparked more than 150 reported fires in fiscal year 2012-2013 across the state and caused close to $200,000 in property damage, Alexopoulos said.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated fireworks were involved in an about 8,700 injuries in 2012. Children under 15 accounted for about 30 percent of the 2012 injuries.

Some municipalities throughout the state have vowed to renew enforcement efforts and arrest violators.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office increases patrol in areas known as hot spots for illegal firework activity, but deputies have no specific operations planned, said spokesman Jeff Williamson.

Bradford Mann of Four Seasons Display Inc. in DeLand knows how dangerous fireworks can be after 20 years of designing and setting up professional firework displays for cities across the region. But he said restricting fireworks will only encourage pyro-enthusiasts to do make their own explosives.

"If you don't provide an easy way for people to enjoy it the right way, they will learn to do it the wrong way," he said.

arehernandez@tribune.com or 407-420-5471 or @ahernandez_OS

Safety tips

Keep a fire extinguisher or water hose on-hand for emergencies. It's a good idea to drop used sparklers in a bucket of water.

Use sparklers and other legal novelties on a flat, hard surface in an open area. Do not light them on grass.

Keep children and pets at least 30 feet away from all ignited sparklers.

Light only one item at a time and never attempt to re-light a "dud."

Don't use any unwrapped items or items that may have been tampered with.

Only purchase fireworks from licensed vendors.

Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks. After the firework display, children should never pick up fireworks because they may still be active.

Never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.

Source: The National Fire Protection Association & Florida Department of Financial Services