Chief Wendell Robery and the Canton Fire Department would like to inform residents that two cooling centers will be open in town over the next three days, with temperatures expected to be in the high 80s.

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches quickly, we would like to remind residents that the recreational use of fireworks is illegal in Massachusetts.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, there have been more than 550 fires and explosions involving illegal fireworks in Massachusetts in the past five years. Six firefighters were injured in these incidents, and damages were estimated at nearly $1 million.

Between 2019 and 2023, Massachusetts medical facilities treated more than 200 people for burns and other injuries associated with fireworks. Two dozen people were treated for severe burn injuries that covered 5% or more of the victim’s body.

The possession, use and sale of fireworks without a professional license is against the law in Massachusetts and punishable by confiscation, fine or imprisonment. Fines range from $100 to $1,000, and some violations could carry a one-year prison sentence.

Please leave fireworks to the professionals!

In Canton, the Parks and Recreation Department is hosting an Independence Day Celebration, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, at the Irish Cultural Centre, located at 200 New Boston Drive.

A professional fireworks display is scheduled for 9 p.m.

For more information on state-permitted fireworks displays this summer, visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/leave-fireworks-to-the-professionals