Wedding flame-out? UK agencies calling for ban on wedding "sky lanterns"

   I don't want to set the world on fire.....(if so, might want to avoid these.)
                      photo: Elin Beckmann/Creative Commons license

There's no denying that sky lanterns are a lovely sight.  Initially developed in Asia for military signalling almost two thousand years ago, glowing sky lanterns (aka "wish lanterns" for their purported magical properties) have long been a part of Asian celebrations, including traditional Lantern Festivals in Thailand and Valentine's Day in Vietnam.

In the past few years they've also become hugely popular for weddings in England, and some fear that recent fires and cattle injuries involving sky lanterns may result in a British ban.

Sky lanterns are essentially hot-air balloons driven by a small flame from a candle or fuel cannister.  Not only can the flame ignite buildings or crops upon landing, but livestock are endangered when they eat the fallen paper, wire, and bamboo frames.  When released near coastlines, red lanterns have been confused with distress flares and rescue agencies are concerned that real emergency signals might be ignored or response delayed as a result.

Sky lantern flight is uncontrolled; English farmers claim a significant number of them have ended up littering their fields after their flights, causing animals to panic and injure themselves so severely they must be put down.

Cheshire farmer Huw Rowlands called for a British boycott after losing one of his Red Poll cows to a ruptured esophagus, apparently after the cow consumed metal wires from a fallen sky lantern frame.  The National Farmers' Union agrees; the RSPCA, Fire Service, and rescue agencies have also expressed their concerns not only about animal welfare but also the possibility of thatch, barn, and crop fires.  These fears are not unfounded.  Sky lantern fires in Germany caused one death and the loss of multiple homes, resulting in bans in three German states. 

As a result of similar sky lantern mishaps, Malta and Australia have prohibited sky lanterns, as have Thailand, Vietnam, and some Chinese cities.  New Zealand firefighters have also called for a ban.

Sky lantern suppliers are fighting back, claiming their products are safe but people don't use them properly (does the phrase "lanterns don't kill cattle, people kill cattle" have a familiar ring?)  Advocates say that sky lanterns cannot descend until the flame has burned out, but a lantern that landed on Winchester Cathedral in 2006 was still lit when it hit the roof, and only fast action by firefighters saved the historic cathedral. 

The lanterns are advertised heavily in UK wedding magazines and are still being imported in large numbers despite warnings.  Some manufacturers make marketing claims about biodegrabability and fair-trade practices to aid sales, but it appears that at least some of these claims are questionable.  A few U.S. retailers are refusing to carry them due to the demonstrated fire hazard and worries about liability; jurisdictions that have laws prohibiting fireworks may not have created specific policies about sky lanterns, so their use may continue in areas where other pyrotechnics are considered unsafe.

Beautiful as they are, sky lanterns pose real risks.  Many protest that abolishing sky lanterns is irrational, because the number of accidents is small compared to the number of lanterns in use.  This amounts to saying, "it's okay if a few people die or lose their homes as long as I can have my wedding pretties," an abhorrently selfish tack to take no matter how eye-catching wish lanterns may be.  Better wish they don't burn down your house or kill your animals, I reckon.

Besides, other floaty light-up options are now available!  You can buy LED balloons or make your own (and latex balloons are considered more environmentally friendly than sky lanterns, though the LEDs could pose a hazard if they land in unexpected places.)

For now, sky lanterns are still legal in the UK despite their dangers, but one other group would like to see sky lanterns banned for a different reason: UFOlogists have noted that sky lanterns are often mistaken for UFOs, and a ban would help eliminate confusion about those silent lights in the sky.

Until next time: we wish you bright skies, and a sweet and long life to you all.

National Wedding and Marriage Examiner Elizabeth Oakes welcomes your feedback at weddingexaminer@gmail.com; please share this story or subscribe by clicking on the Tweet This! button at the top of this column or the "Share This!" button below, or read more of Elizabeth's stories by clicking here.

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