We measured sparklers burning at a temperature higher than 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- They are fireworks parents give to children to hold on holidays like the Fourth of July -- but they are not harmless toys.
WZZM 13's Juliet Dragos and Joe Kopecek measured the heat coming off of sparklers. With our station's heat gun, they measured a temperature higher than 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
But the gun can only get a measurement based on temperature in a surface area, so our gun may have underestimated the actual heat of sparklers. In fact, most sparkers burn at a temperature of 1,200 - 3,000 degrees.
No matter what the measurement, sparklers can be hot enough to cause severe burns to whoever may hold them or misuse them. Sparklers should be used under strict parental supervision, and always with a bucket of water nearby.