Washington City sets fireworks restrictions ahead of July 4, July 24 holiday season

The City of Washington is implementing firework restrictions for the holiday season, with tighter rules to last through July 25.  

The Washington City Fire Department and city officials worked together on restricting areas in Washington that could pose a fire safety threat during the firework season, City Councilman Kurt Ivie said.  

“The risk is that if we're out on the peripheral and we see, you know, a grass fire with the dry shrubs and weeds and things, then that becomes a much more difficult task,” Ivie said.

The areas that are restricted from firework use are mainly areas where there is a lot of dry brush and places that would make it difficult for the WCFD to easily access.  

“There's a large amount of undeveloped dry area. You look down in the fields, obviously, it would be easy for some of those dry fields to get away and then even along the bench there," Mayor Kress Staheli said. "I've seen in the past where there have been fireworks that have started fires down in those canyons and ravines, so I guess there's probably a little bit more of a chance with some of our unique topography."

Class C fireworks were allowed to be sold starting June 24 and will remain available through July 25. Fireworks can be set off from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. except on July 2 through July 5 and July 22 through July 25 when the restriction has been extended to midnight.  

“We encourage the community from all the different neighborhoods within Washington to come out and to celebrate Fourth of July in the park (Veteran’s Park). And then in the evenings when they're with friends and families and doing those barbecues. We just really want them to be safe and to do it safely,” Staheli said.  

To see the full area of restrictions on fireworks in Washington City visit https://washingtoncity.org/info/maps.

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