Our Voice: Now is time to ban personal fireworks

Every year, as the Fourth of July fireworks season nears and the summer heat blisters the Mid-Columbia, we emphasize caution and the responsible use of personal fireworks.

Last year, with the fire danger so high, we encouraged people to completely forgo setting off their own fireworks. Many didn’t listen, even though last summer was the worst wildfire season in state history.

This year we want to tackle the issue early on and ask city and county officials where personal fireworks are still allowed to consider banning them for next year.

We know it would be a break in tradition for some families. We know it would be a financial blow to those who sell personal fireworks. We know people don’t like government limiting their fun.

But the risk of tragedy is so high, we think this is a conversation the community needs to have and needs to have now.

In the Mid-Columbia, fireworks already are illegal in all of Franklin County, Pasco, Kennewick and Prosser.

But fireworks can be shot off legally with some restrictions in rural Benton County, Richland, West Richland, Benton City and Burbank. The types of fireworks that can be discharged in these communities vary. For instance, Richland does not allow any firework that flies to be used within city limits.

But they all require a spark to work — and that’s the concern.

Last summer West Richland officials asked its citizens to consider not setting off their fireworks until Dec. 31 when fireworks are legal for New Year’s celebrations. Fire chiefs in the Tri-Cities echoed that request.

But judging by the pops heard around the Mid-Columbia, those pleas were largely ignored, even though we were in a drought and suffering from a streak of triple-digit temperatures.

In light of last year’s devastating wildfire in Wenatchee, where 29 homes were destroyed and four square miles were burned, the Wenatchee City Council recently approved a fireworks ban that will go into effect in 2017.

The ban can’t happen until next year because state law requires a one-year waiting period after local fireworks codes are changed. This is to protect business owners who count on firework sales, and who need a year’s notice to prepare.

But if we want to be ready for next year, any change in fireworks ordinances will have to be approved before June 28, when the season starts.

We were lucky last year. Somehow the Mid-Columbia managed to avoid the catastrophic destruction and smoky skies that affected much of Washington last summer.

More than a million acres were burned across the state from June to September and an estimated 3,000 firefighters and members of the National Guard fought the fires, with three losing their lives. The fires were declared a federal emergency.

Already this month there was a brush fire near Entiat in Chelan County that prompted evacuation notices to be sent to residents of about 130 homes in two housing developments. They were told to be ready to leave in case the fire grew.

We don’t want a fireworks-related tragedy to be the reason city and county officials finally decide to ban personal fireworks in our area. Residents in Kennewick and Pasco have found ways to celebrate the Fourth of July without them, the rest of the community can too.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 2:13 AM with the headline "Our Voice: Now is time to ban personal fireworks."