The Clark County Council and fire marshal appear to be ignoring the obvious danger of private fireworks. Among other problems apparently caused by fireworks, a Yacolt family lost their home and two of their members were treated for smoke inhalation.
Clark County code, requiring the Clark County chair to collaborate with the fire marshal to ban fireworks on an emergency basis, is insufficient to provide safety in the ongoing environmental conditions we face today and in future years. The cities of Portland and Vancouver have banned private fireworks sales and it is time the county does the same.
Both cities still experience fireworks problems. However, county officials aren’t helping by allowing sellers to operate here. Why does the county cater to them? Sellers aren’t compensating anybody for the loss of property that takes place every year.
Banning private fireworks won’t solve the entire problem, but it would at least be doing something to reduce the possibility of the damage we experience. To do less is a significant failure by government officials who have the responsibility and ability to make Clark County a safer place to live. What would it take for them to act?
