Hot, dry conditions set the stage for firework season ‘havoc’
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — With Fourth of July celebrations set to kick off next week, fire officials in the Salt Lake Valley are preparing for a busy summer fire season — as a single spark from a firework could set the area’s tinder-dry vegetation ablaze.
“If you look around right now in Salt Lake County, everything is yellow,” Cpt. Tony Barker, with Unified Fire Authority, told ABC4 on Wednesday.
Utah officials urge caution ahead of what could be an extreme fire season
“The thing that is unique about this year and fireworks season, specifically right now, it’s been ridiculously hot,” he added. “We’ve had a large amount of overgrowth in vegetation that has completely dried out.”
The risk was apparent on Tuesday night, when a firework started a brush fire in Parleys Canyon, prompting road closures. The fire burned more than an acre before crews were knocked it out.
Earlier this month, state leaders urged Utahns to be vigilant this summer, saying that wildfire conditions are similar to what they were in 2012, when Utah suffered a devastating wildfire season. So far this year, there’ve been 338 fires across Utah, with 261 of them (or 77%) caused by humans.
Over the next several weeks, Unified Fire is gearing up to respond to several fires that might flare up over the Independence Day and Pioneer Day holidays. With so much fuel from this year’s wet spring, this fireworks season has the potential to “create havoc” throughout the valley, Barker said.
He is urging the public to be careful with personal fireworks, which went on sale this week per state regulations. Special attention should be given to aerial fireworks, Barker said, as if they are liable to tip over if not properly set up. If they don’t shoot up into the air, they could easily start wildfires or even house fires.
To prevent such a potentially devastating outcome, Unified Fire advises that people set up bricks on a flat surface to prevent aerial fireworks from tipping over. People are also encouraged to have a bucket of water or a hose ready in case something goes wrong.
“Those little precautions can go a long way in mitigating the fires that are out there,” Barker said.
Where and when can you shoot fireworks this summer?
For the Fourth of July holiday, people can shoot fireworks from July 2 to July 5, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. However, on Independence Day istelf, the hours extend to midnight. For the Pioneer Day, people can shoot fireworks from July 22 to July 25. The same hourly restrictions apply.
Those who shoot fireworks outside these approved times or in prohibited areas could face a fine up to $1,000. A detailed map of where fireworks are restricted in the Salt Lake Valley can be found here. Fireworks are banned on any state and federally managed public lands, and on unincorporated private land.
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