Ed Hayes and his daughters have a license to thrill.

The 61-year-old Scio man has been the putting on the heat at mid-valley fireworks shows since the early 1980s. Now his daughters, Penny Anderson, 28, of Lebanon, and Tammy Hayes, 23, of Scio, also hold pyrotechnic licenses. Together, the family - which includes Penny's husband, Jeremy, his parents, Matt and Bonnie, and various cousins - put on seven or eight fireworks shows a year.

Most recently, Ed, Penny, Tammy, Jeremy, Bonnie and a handful of friends gathered at Cheadle Lake in Lebanon to set off the fireworks for the 100th anniversary of the Strawberry Festival. This weekend, they're doing the show at the Eugene Pro Rodeo for Independence Day.

Said Tammy: "If we didn't light fireworks anymore, I wouldn't know what to do."

Some like it hot

Ed Hayes was a Albany Jaycee 27 years ago, in the heyday of the Albany World Championship Timber Carnival. He asked to help with the fireworks show.

"I've always been fascinated by fire, ever since I was a little kid," he said.

Ed helped another Jaycee set up a "Niagara Falls" pyrotechnic effect, in which a waterfall of sparks cascades from a hanging wire. He came back to help again the next year. And the next.

Eventually, Ed applied for his own license and has been a shooter ever since.

The rest of the family members have, too. Tammy has been at shows since she was two weeks old, and both girls remember helping to put together board displays. Mom Joanne doesn't have a license but helps occasionally with setups.

The Anderson family used to help at the Timber Carnival, too, with Jeremy's Cub Scout pack. One year, Matt helped Ed with the fireworks, but Bonnie was under the impression women weren't allowed.

Matt mentioned her comment to Ed, who responded with, "What are you talking about?" Bonnie recalled. She laughed. "And I've been here ever since."

Penny and Jeremy married in 2004. No fireworks at the wedding, however.

"It would have been nice except we were having it right in downtown Lebanon," Ed said.

The shows mostly are a hobby for the Hayes and Anderson families, all of whom have regular day jobs. Ed repairs and installs telephones, while Bonnie, Penny and Tammy all work at service stations.

"That's another side story," Ed said. "We got three pyros here who work in gas stations."

Things that make you go 'boom'

Every fireworks show must have at least one licensed pyrotechnic in charge, but unlicensed people are allowed to work alongside them. Indeed, that's part of obtaining a license: helping to shoot at least three shows in three years.

A would-be pyrotechnic also has to take a daylong, state-regulated safety class and be at least 21, although 18-year-olds are allowed to work in the pit. A background check has to come up clean for felony and drug convictions. All fire department permits have to be in order before the show can start.

Ed and his crew wear full helmets, earplugs and firefighter turnout jackets when shooting a show. Rule number one: "No part of your body ever goes over the top of the mortar."

For all their time in the fire, the Hayes family hasn't had any injuries.

"We've had a couple low breaks that kind of scared the heck out of us," Ed said.

They don't watch

Pyros have the worst seats in the house during a show. Shooters are too busy moving from fuse to fuse to watch what's going on 200 feet above them, the Hayes and Andersons say. Even if they could look up, being directly underneath ruins the effect of the sparkling blooms.

Some big fireworks shows set off everything by computer, but Ed and his daughters say that's not for them.

"It's more fun to be down here than be sitting back there, flipping switches," Ed said. In the field, he said, "I get the concussion.

"It's a rush."