ATLANTA — Ah, summer. A time to relax, enjoy sunshine, and catch a few stunning displays on Independence Day.
There's been plenty of shortages since COVID began - toilet paper, hand sanitizer, meat, even rental cars.
So, will we be hearing less fireworks this year?
QUESTION
Is there a fireworks shortage and are prices higher?
THE SOURCES
Steve Putthoff, General Manager, Pyro City Fireworks, Conyers, GA
William Weimer, Vice President and General Counsel of Phantom Fireworks, via NBC News
THE ANSWER
Yes, supply of fireworks is limited and in some cases, it's causing higher prices.
WHAT WE FOUND
"Starting today, we started to see some holes, a few items here and there. So, that's going to continue everywhere. There's going to be limited quantities," Putthoff started.
11Alive talked to Putthoff in 2020, around July 4. At the time, there was a spike in fireworks sales, starting around Memorial Day and ramping up, mainly because of boredom of people trying to find inventive ways to celebrate special occasions like graduations that were otherwise canceled because of COVID.
Now, many companies increased orders, which lead to a shortage in some areas.
"We're having trouble keeping up," said Putthoff. "The warehouses we buy from, couldn't get anything. So, just been piecing it together and getting what we can."
Putthoff added part of the problem is shipping.
"Ports are backed up in California, and you had issues with trying to get stuff from warehouse and from China."
The Vice President of Phantom Fireworks, one of the largest retailers, told NBC News, prices are rising too – as much as 30 percent on some products.
For Pyro City, it’s been around 5 to 10 percent increase. Putthoff said they had to eat some of the shipping costs, but also passed a little off to the consumer, making some prices a little higher.
"Shipping costs have been through the roof," said Putthoff.
If you want to get your hands on some before July 4, Putthoff said be flexible in what you're willing to buy. And try to get to a store as soon as possible, with a little patience in tow.
"Be prepared for long lines, because staff is short as well. It's been tough to hire people."
So, you can still find fireworks, but it's best not to wait until Friday or Saturday.