A firework display by artist Cai Guo-Qiang in collaboration with Arc'teryx in the Himalayas. Cai Studio Hong Kong —

The sight of a multi-colored fireworks exploding in the foothills of the Himalayas has sparked a furious environmental backlash, prompting a local government investigation in China and forcing global outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx to issue an apology.

The Canadian-headquartered, Chinese-owned, brand teamed up with artist Cai Guo-Qiang to stage the massive “Rising Dragon” fireworks display on Friday at a Tibetan plateau located about 5,500 meters (18,000 feet) above sea level in Shigatse, the second largest city in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

An official video, which has since been taken down, showed a vibrant spectacle of fireworks being unleashed from the t

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