Canada Day and the Fourth of July are almost here, which means cookouts, road trips, and fireworks. However, before your family gets to celebrating, familiarize yourself with fireworks safety.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), seven people died and an estimated 7,000 were treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries in the United States in 2007. The majority of these injuries occurred in the weeks around July 4th.

Fireworks are associated with a number of serious injuries, including head injuries and burns. The most common injuries are to the hands, eyes, and head, face and ear.

Here are three things you probably don't know about fireworks safety:

*Seemingly-innocent sparklers can reach a temperature of 1,800° Fahrenheit (982° Celsius), which is hot enough to melt gold.
*While burns are the most common injuries from fireworks, this is not the only risk associated with lighting up in your backyard. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that local fire departments respond to more 50,000 fires caused by fireworks each year.
*Pets can be injured by fireworks. Because pets have such sensitive hearing, they may suffer irreversible hearing loss from fireworks or crackers. The noise is also extremely frightening to pets.

The best way to ensure your family is safe from burns and eye injuries caused by fireworks is to leave the explosive displays to the professionals, and take in fireworks shows from a safe distance.