States at risk of wildfires are replacing July 4 fireworks with drone shows
- Towns in dry states like California, Colorado, and Arizona are getting creative with their July 4 celebrations amid concerns of fireworks sparking wildfires.
- Several towns have chosen to ditch fireworks in favor of drone displays.
- California's Travis Air Force Base is collaborating with Intel to replace their traditional Independence Day display with 500 Shooting Star drones, but it had to be postponed a day because of high winds.
Towns in dry states like California, Colorado, and Arizona are getting creative with their July 4 celebrations after concerns that fireworks could spark wildfires.
The Civana Resort in Carefree, Arizona, ditched its fireworks show as a safety precaution and is instead holding a free drone display on Wednesday evening, which they've dubbed the "next generation firework show."
In Aspen, Colorado, officials will employ the use of 50 drones to dance around the night sky to "patriotic music" to mark the holiday.
There are currently fire restrictions in some areas of Colorado and earlier this week, evacuations were ordered in Yolo County in northern California as dry, hot winds fueled a wildfire in the rural community.
Also in California, Fairfield's Travis Air Force Base will be collaborating with Intel to replace their traditional Independence Day display with 500 Shooting Star drones in a choreographed aerial routine, but it had to be delayed to July 5 due to high winds.
Intel's drones have been used before to light up the sky for major events.
In 2017, Lady Gaga's Super Bowl halftime show used Intel drones coordinated by computer programs and earlier this year drones stole the show at the Winter Olympics, though the performance was pre-recorded also because of potential high winds.