By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch Two years from now, the number of days that residents of unincorporated Pierce County can legally use fireworks around the Fourth of July holiday might be down to one. Under new rules the County Council is considering, the current fireworks window of June 28 to July 5 would be trimmed to July 4, going from eight days to just the holiday itself. So far, the proposal is just talk. It was reviewed by the council's Public Safety Committee at a meeting Aug. 22. The committee forwarded it to the rest of the council, but a date for a possible public hearing hasn't been set. If approved by the full council, a new ordinance making the change official would take effect Oct. 1, 2017, making 2018 the first year the new limits would be placed on Independence Day revelry with fireworks. It wouldn't involve cities or towns such as Eatonville, which have their own regulations. Indian reservations also would be exempt. County Councilwoman Connie Ladenburg, the sponsor of the county proposal, described it as an attempt to reduce the number of days that "many" people feel victimized by the noise of fireworks. It also stops short of an all-out ban, she noted. "Around the Fourth of July holiday, we receive many calls from citizens concerned about significant noise and safety concerns, not only for people but for animals,GÇ¥ said Ladenburg. "I understand the desire to celebrate the holiday, and instead of a complete ban on fireworks, I'm presenting this amendment to balance the desires of the community.GÇ¥ Currently, the county's regulations are the same as state law. Both allow fireworks to be purchased and used from June 28 to July 5. If the county adopts Ladenburg's plan, people could buy fireworks July 1 through July 4, but could only use them on July 4 during the hours of 10 a.m. to midnight. The number of days for sales, currently eight, would be cut in half. The rule regarding purchases and sales would apply only to off-reservation fireworks stands. This is the second attempt in recent years to limit the use of fireworks to only July in the county's unincorporated areas. In 2012, the County Council rejected a request by then-council member Dick Muri. That same year, the Eatonville Town Council made July 3 and 4 the only dates that fireworks can be used legally inside town limits. The law is still in effect. Some counties and cities in Washington have outlawed the use of pyrotechnics except in professional, licensed fireworks shows. Public safety officials, noting the risk of accidental fires and injuries, annually urge the public to refrain from using fireworks or at least to use them safely. The Pierce County fire marshal makes a yearly plea for people to watch fireworks shows instead of doing it themselves.
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