The Fireworks Ban in Spokane is Working!

This July marks the twentieth anniversary of a complete fireworks ban in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Cheney, Liberty Lake and the unincorporated parts of Spokane County..

Because of the ban on individual consumer fireworks, fireworks-related fires in the City of Spokane between June 28 and July 6 dropped from an average of 104 in the ten years prior to the ban to an average of 5 in past nineteen years. Another way to say this: we have NOT had an average of 99 fireworks-caused fires in the City of Spokane the past 19 years. This adds up to 1,881 fires that did not impact people and property!  Most residents obviously understand and appreciate the ban.  

Common fireworks are NOT “Safe-and-Sane”!  There are still more than 8,000 fireworks-related injuries serious enough to require emergency room care or hospitalization each year in the U.S. during the July 4^th period.  Nationally, most fireworks injuries involve devices that are legal under current federal law.    Children under age 15 suffer the highest rate of injuries from fireworks.  Sparklers account for a significant percentage of burn injuries. Sparkler bombs have become an additional concern. Partners who strongly support consumer fireworks bans throughout the U.S. indicate the type of damage often associated with common fireworks : The American Academy of Pediatrics,  American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Association for Hand Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Center for Injury Research & Policy, Emergency Nurses Association, Fire Department Safety Officers Association, International Association of Arson Investigators, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Firefighters, International Fire Marshals Association, National Fire Protection Association and Prevent Blindness America.

Individual fireworks are NOT cheap entertainment! Millions of dollars in direct property damage occur each year in less than a 2-week period as Americans celebrate their July 4^th Independence. In recent years, the Colville Tribe lost $15 million in timber from a bottle rocket launched from a boat on Lake Roosevelt and taxpayers lost over $8 million in damage to schools in Washington State. The “big 3” of firecrackers, bottle rockets and missiles have been illegal throughout the State of Washington for more than 60 years. Fines for using fireworks in Spokane start at $513.  Violations of the Spokane ban on consumer fireworks can be reported to Crime Check at 456-2233

 Spokane Fire Department encourages the community to celebrate the Fourth of July by enjoying the annual public fireworks display in Riverfront Park.