Emergency Fireworks Ban, Sample Resolution

2015 brought the West Coast and the State of Washington unusually hot and dry weather conditions that increased the number and severity of fires across our state. Several jurisdictions feared that the use of personal fireworks around the 4^th of July would further increase fires and sought to limit or ban the use of fireworks due to extreme fire danger conditions.

Washington’s current fireworks law, RCW 70.77, states that any city or county ordinances that are more restrictive than state law shall have an effective date no sooner than one year after adoption. So the jurisdictions that did not already have a local ordinance in place were left without an option to limit or ban sales and use of fireworks due to the extreme fire danger.

In an effort to assist local counties and cities with this issue, the Washington Fire Chiefs and Washington State Association of Fire Marshals have produced a sample ordinance for local jurisdictions to use for future years should the need arise to ban the sale and use of personal fireworks during times of extreme fire danger.

If you have any questions, or we can be of further assistance, please contact the Washington Fire Chiefs office at 360-352-0161.

Sincerely,