Grant County seeks opinions about fireworks ban

EPHRATA — The Grant County commissioners are looking for more input for a potential fireworks ban in the area near Moses Lake.

EPHRATA - The Grant County commissioners are looking for more input for a potential fireworks ban in the area near Moses Lake.

The commissioners discussed the issue after Moses Lake Mayor Jon Lane sent a letter asking the county to ban selling and discharging fireworks outside of public display.

"As you may know, and nationwide statistics demonstrate, consumer fireworks cause millions of dollars in property damage and over 9,000 injuries each year," Lane stated.

The Multi Agency Communications Center (MACC) reported about 100 fire calls during the Fourth of July weekend, according to the letter, adding fireworks were listed as a cause in 47 fires on July 4.

"One of the most devastating fireworks related fires occurred in the McConihe Flats area, north of Moses Lake, resulting in well over $100,000 in property damage," Lane stated. "This fire, and the multiple additional responses during this time, placed not only the public at extreme risk, but the lives of responding firefighters."

Grant County Fire Marshal Dave Nelson told commissioners in a recent meeting it is possible for the commissioners to limit fireworks in a specific area.

"There's been several communities that have petitioned for bans. On the petitions we had what we felt like was a majority of the voters there," he said. "Desert Aire approached us with the idea they would like to have a firework ban there, except for they would like to have a public area and for all citizens to use the same area."

Commissioner Richard Stevens said in the case of Desert Aire, the issue was settled with a compromise at the public hearing.

Nelson said the county has several options, pointing out the state allows for every jurisdiction to handle regulating fireworks differently.

"I hate to punish good people because of what bad people do ... It's a loss of civil liberties because it's the easiest way to do it, just take it away from everybody, so there's middle ground I think we can look at," Nelson said. "We could look at limiting discharge of fireworks to the Fourth of July."

Another option is for communities to petition the county to create areas where firework sales are limited, he added.

Stevens said a lot of people use fireworks during the holiday and don't have a problem. He has used them for several years without having a problem.

"I've never had a fire either, because I'm sitting in the middle of bunch of green fields," he said.

Stevens also expressed concern if the county put a ban in place it would create more work for sheriff's deputies.

"We don't have enough police in the first place and they're not going to go out and do that if they have other crimes," he said.

Nelson said laws already exist to protect people if someone starts a fire with fireworks, but they aren't enforced.

"If someone starts a fire with fireworks, we don't really pursue it," he said. "We need to be aggressive on that rather than just adding another law."

Commissioner Cindy Carter said the Grant County Housing Authority did contact the commissioners after a 2009 fire, asking about a ban. Also a few other people talked to the commissioners about starting a fireworks ban.

All three agreed they would need a consensus from an area before they took action. Carter said if anyone has an opinion to contact the commissioner's office.

"We would love to hear from the people in the community in favor of the ban or in favor of keeping it the way it is," she said in an interview after the meeting. "I am pro-fireworks, but I will do what my constituents want to do."

The commissioners' office can be reached at 509-754-2011.