With images by Alex Garland and Ananya Mishra

The streets of western Capitol Hill above I-5 filled with camp chairs and spectators Tuesday night to enjoy 18 minutes or so of pyrotechnics above Lake Union. If you have ever wanted to watch the show from up here and see the crowds, you might want to plan to make it sooner than later.

People also lit off their own — illegal — fireworks with booms and rocket blasts across the city. Seattle Fire responded to seven brush, dumpster, and tree fires around Capitol Hill and the Central District on the night.

The public fireworks festivities increasingly feel like a part of the past — especially as climate change and its impacts hit closer to home. One example: In Des Moines, Washington, this year, there were no fireworks. Instead, there were “175 aerial drones making spectacular displays via computer over Poverty Bay.”

Des Moines, Washington had a new plan for this years 4th of July, no fireworks but DRONES. Yes, 175 aerial drones making spectacular displays via computer over Poverty Bay. The show was produced by from Sky Elements.

Photos © 2023 David Rosen/SlickPix Photography pic.twitter.com/tVsEhNF5n7

— David Rosen (@DavidRosen_WX) July 5, 2023

We're often asked about fireworks and air quality. The answer looks like this – spikes in particulate pollution that hit nearly every monitor in our network. It hasn't stuck around long, but with the dry conditions and additional wildfire smoke, we don't need to shoot off more. pic.twitter.com/QvdGsscYxo

— WA Department of Ecology (@EcologyWA) July 5, 2023

In Seattle meanwhile, air quality ratings hit unhealthy levels Wednesday morning thanks to our current calm weather patterns and an inversion layer pushing the smoke down across the city. Above, hazy skies from Canadian wildfires have brought an early start to the 2023 Seattle smoke season. And there are now a handful of new fires burning here in the state as the wildfire season picks up.

For now, Seattle’s fireworks show will go on — but it isn’t hard to imagine a future without it.

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