Regulations governing fireworks differ from town to town
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 9 months AGO
Cheryl Schweizer/For The Sun Tribune Wesley Ball stacks merchandise for a customer at the fireworks stand on Potato Hill Road operated by the Sand Scorpions off-road vehicle club Monday evening.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | June 30, 2020 9:51 PM
OTHELLO — Fireworks have been part of celebrating the nation’s birthday since the beginning, and the 244th birthday will be no different.
But each city has different regulations governing those firework celebrations.
Of course, the state has set some limitations, and some towns follow the state guidelines. Royal City and Warden are among them.
State regulations allow fireworks to be set off from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 1 through 4; 9 a.m. to midnight July 4; and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 5. They must be what state law calls “consumer” fireworks, which are limited to what’s sold in permitted fireworks stands.
Othello also allows fireworks within the city limits, but the city has different rules for the days and hours they can be used. People can shoot off fireworks from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 1 through 3, and from 9 a.m. to midnight July 4.
Fireworks are allowed in Mattawa on July 4 through midnight. Users are required to have a working water source available in case of fire. Along with a water source, people should pay attention to the wind direction when shooting off fireworks.
Grant County allows fireworks in the unincorporated areas. It’s legal to buy them and set them off through July 5, according to information on the Grant County Fire Marshal’s website. People can set off fireworks from noon to 11 p.m. each day, except for July 4, when the deadline is midnight. Fireworks are not allowed between 9 a.m. and noon any day.
Fireworks are prohibited in some parks, campgrounds and neighborhoods in the unincorporated areas. Prohibited areas include Marine View and Marine View Heights near the Potholes Reservoir; Crescent Bar, The Gorge Amphitheatre and the Gorge Campground, all near Quincy. Fireworks are prohibited in Desert Aire except in Desert Aire Park.
People who use fireworks in the unincorporated areas are required to meet fire prevention regulations. People should be aware of their surroundings and avoid areas with dry grass or dry vegetation. A water source should be ready at hand, and used fireworks should be soaked in water.
Only legal fireworks are allowed. People should be prepared to use them all and not have any left over.
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