Why this Fourth of July has fire officials and veterans bracing

America will mark its milestone birthday this summer with a bang — quite a few, actually.

Ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary, firework retailers and pyrotechnicians said that they're seeing surging demand. From coast to coast, communities are preparing giant shows, and families are looking to spice up their backyard barbecues.

Independence Day is going to be "the grandest 4th of July that we've seen in 50 years," said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnic Association, a trade group.

Phantom Fireworks, the largest firework chain in the country, has already seen an uptick in traffic and is expecting its "greatest sales ever," Vice President Jessica Dragoiu, told USA TODAY. "Everybody's gearing up for it."

But not everyone is excited.