A dangerous rise in powerful explosives being deployed on Halloween night has Vancouver's police and fire departments warning the public about the risks of playing with fireworks.

Grade 11 student Adam Felardeau stood before reporters Thursday morning retelling the story of how he blew off part of his hand with an M-80 firework two years ago after buying a brick of the devices from a friend. While watching a movie on Halloween night he accidentally set one off and before he could act it exploded.

"As I looked down it was a terrible sight that I could see. It will never leave my mind," he said. "I could honestly see through my hand and see the skin on the other side of my hand."

"The next morning it was hard to watch as the doctor took the bandages off my hand. I was missing two fingertips. I had two pins in my thumb keeping it in place and a massive scar going through my palm," he explained.

Felardeau spent a total of five days in hospital and had to visit a physiotherapist twice a week throughout the following year. The doctor told him it was a miracle he didn't lose his thumb because the blood flow to it had stopped.

In Canada, M-80 fireworks are illegal but are increasingly found on the streets. The explosive's loud boom is part of its appeal and is also why it's used by hunters and fishermen.

"Some people might know them as bear bangers and other people might know them as seal bombs," Capt. Gabe Roder of the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services said.

When marketed for use other than fireworks, they are legal and can be found in the sporting goods section of a department store.

The M-80 is just one example of a hazardous explosive people use to carry out Halloween mischief.

Last year around $160,000 worth of damage was caused to four schools in the southeast part of Vancouver after marine flares were fired through their windows.

Police also confiscated an improvised explosive device. Recipes to build these mini-bombs are readily available online.

"What we're finding is that the regular fireworks aren't good enough for our youngsters anymore." Roder said. "And to be the police department and the ambulance service are very frightened at what is going on right now."

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Bhinder Sajan.