Pyro Talk

Author: HistoryBridge Productions

A podcast made by pyros, for pyros. Well discuss fireworks best practices, safety, history, and much more!
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S10:E2 Precision Over Power: Coordinating an Explosive Bridge Demolition
Episode 2
Monday, 19 January, 2026

Precision Over Power: Coordinating an Explosive Bridge DemolitionThe explosive demolition of the Black Hawk Bridge wasn’t about spectacle—it was about precision, planning, and coordination on a massive scale. In this episode, we’re joined by Clayton Burke, the DOT project lead, to take listeners inside what it really takes to bring down a major river crossing safely and successfully.We touch briefly on the use of explosives—what role they played and why controlled demolition was the right tool for the job—but the heart of the conversation is everything that happens before the blast. From coordinating multiple state agencies across Iowa and Wisconsin to aligning engineers, demolition crews, environmental regulators, river traffic authorities, emergency services, and the public, this was a project where timing, communication, and trust mattered as much as the charges themselves.Clayton walks us through the months (and years) of planning, the sequencing decisions, safety considerations, and contingency planning that ensured the demolition went exactly as intended. It’s a rare behind-the-scenes look at how large-scale explosive work is managed when there is no margin for error.If you think explosive demolition is about raw power, this episode shows why it’s really about discipline, coordination, and precision—and why the biggest boom is only possible because of the quiet work done long before the countdown starts.Get 10% off Pyro Vault by using the code PYROTALK at signup—⁠⁠https://pyrovaultapp.com⁠⁠⁠⁠LuxeSFX.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pyrotool.com⁠⁠⁠ PTALKPOD for 10% off!Need MJG Igniters? Get 75% off shipping on orders at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://electricmatch.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!! USE code PYROTALKPODLink to trainings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nrH5553D45VLYJynop0XLVdyWqCVCOtksLROvXnpYGY/edit?usp=sharing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our merch store to pick up a t-shirt, mug, hat, flag, and much more. New items added all the time! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://historybridgeproductions-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/pyro-talk⁠