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Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18, 2024

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In Our View: Celebrate With Care

As fireworks sales begin, please follow rules, respect neighbors, dry conditions

The Columbian
Published:

Here’s the safest bet since American Pharoah won the Triple Crown: There will be multiple grass fires in Clark County today, and at least one of them will be caused by fireworks.

Local conditions, unfortunately, are perfect for grass fires. Saturday was a scorcher, and it’s hot again today. It’s been weeks since we had much rain, and lawns and open spaces have the appearance of mid-August. And, most significantly, fireworks go on sale at noon today in unincorporated areas of Clark County such as Hazel Dell and Salmon Creek. The conditions are right for misuse of fireworks to cause a fire.

The Columbian has long supported the right to celebrate Independence Day in the way visualized by the Founding Fathers, including fireworks displays. Fireworks are an American tradition, part of summer, and an opportunity for families and neighbors to come together in social ways that aren’t common enough these days. The guidelines for using fireworks properly are long established and readily available to anyone who purchases them.

Misused, fireworks are dangerous. According to the state fire marshal, last year there were 155 fireworks-related fires in Washington, resulting in $320,240 in damage and property loss. Last year, deliberately misused fireworks destroyed a single-family home on Northeast 108th Street in Felida.

The state fire marshal also tallied 277 fireworks-related injuries last year, 66 of which involved illegal fireworks. Interestingly, the greatest number of injuries were to men ages 36 and older.

Even the most conscientious fireworks users need to be aware that some fireworks regulations have changed this year. Within the city limits of Vancouver, fireworks can now be sold and discharged only on July 4. People who wish to lodge a complaint about fireworks in the city limits on other days, or after midnight on July 4, should call 911. The city fire and police departments will have special teams working to investigate complaints and, if necessary, issue citations of $250 and up.

Outside the city limits, the rules are different. In Hazel Dell, Felida, Salmon Creek and other unincorporated areas, fireworks can be sold and discharged beginning today. Quiet hours start at 11 p.m.; midnight on July 4. Various cities have their own rules; consult your city’s website or check Saturday’s Columbian for a complete list of days and hours.

But back to those grass fires. Clark County Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway last week instituted an outdoor burning ban effective immediately for unincorporated Clark County. Typically, that ban isn’t imposed for another two weeks. “The mild winter and dry conditions warrant extra vigilance this year,” he said.

The state has also expanded its burn ban to include all state-protected lands in Western Washington, and the U.S. Forest Service is also concerned about the unusually dry conditions.

So have responsible fun with fireworks this year. One Hazel Dell vendor claims to have erected the world’s biggest sales tent, nearly the size of a football field. If you don’t want to shop there, Clark County has 10 other licensed fireworks vendors, second only to King County’s 15. But enjoy the show safely. Respect the laws and your neighbors. Be sure to clean up all of the litter. Don’t shoot fireworks in dry grass, and keep water handy.

It’s possible to enjoy personal fireworks, but the personal responsibility that goes with them is greater than ever this dry, hot summer.

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