The 4^th of July holiday celebration of shooting fireworks is this week and some might even have begun this past weekend.  The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding everyone to be safe and legal.  The Illinois Explosives Act requires that anyone who purchases, possesses, uses, transfers, stores or disposes of explosives, including display fireworks, must have an explosives license and explosives storage certificate issued by the IDNR.  Licensing and storage requirements administered by the IDNR do not apply to consumer or personal fireworks such as roman candles, bottle rockets or firecrackers.  In addition to requiring comprehensive licensing, training and examination for individuals, the law requires that unattended display fireworks and explosives must be stored in an explosives magazine, storage facility or container that is inspected and certified by IDNR.  Anyone possessing, using, transferring or purchasing display fireworks without a valid IDNR individual explosives license or storage certificate is violating Illinois law and could incur penalties.  A violation of the Illinois Explosives Act can be a Class 3 felony, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.  In addition, the IDNR can assess administrative fines for violations involving display fireworks and other explosives.  For more information on the IDNR explosives regulatory program log on to www.dnr.illinois.gov/mines/Pages/Explosives,HandlingStorage.aspx.