The sky will shine with fireworks Monday night in a display Craig officials say should be left up to the experts.

“We encourage everyone to come out,” said K.C. Hume, chief investigator for the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office and firefighter with Craig/Fire Rescue, “but please leave the fireworks to the professionals.”

The show, which will begin at dusk from the hill south of Moffat County High School, will have 4-, 5- and 6-inch shells.

Hume said that to put on a fireworks show like the one that will take place Monday, a person or organization has to be registered with the Colorado Division of Fire Safety.

Along with the 20 people who are shooting off the fireworks, The Memorial Hospital will have an ambulance and crew on scene, and the Bureau of Land Management will supply three engines to put out potential brush fires.

“Without the help of these other entities, it would be much more difficult to (keep the show safe),” Hume said.

Although the goal is to put on a good show, Hume said the first duty for Craig Fire/Rescue is to fight fires across town. He said firefighters’ jobs become much more difficult if people launch illegal fireworks during the main show and start a fire.

Hume said they see a fair share of illegal fireworks.

Illegal fireworks include pop bottle rockets, cherry bombs, roman candles, M-80s, large re-loadable shells, aerial bombs and mail-order kits designed to build these fireworks. Anyone caught using or possessing them is violating city ordinance, the penalty for which is a $75 to $300 fine and possibly 15 to 90 days in jail.

“A general rule of thumb is anything that leaves the ground or explodes is illegal,” Hume said.

Hume said the most important thing to remember while handling fireworks is to “just be responsible.”

This year’s show will take place south of the high school on Ninth Street. Fireworks will begin at dusk, at about 9 or 9:30 p.m., on Monday.

The fireworks show is made possible by of donations from the city of Craig and Moffat County, Hume said. Each contributes $4,000.

“Both have been very generous over the years,” he said.