LOGAN – The Logan City Council has approved guidelines for the use of fireworks months before the upcoming Independence Day and Pioneer Day holidays.
During their regular meeting Tuesday, Fire Chief Brad Hannig told counsel members that, due to Utah’s historic drought conditions, this year’s fireworks guidelines were slightly expanded from previous years.
“Due to another predicted drought, we are requesting an adjustment to the east boundary (of the closure area) to move it further west from 1600 East to 1200 East,” Hannig said.
The discharge of fireworks will be generally prohibited outside of the city’s developed neighborhoods.
Those prohibited areas include the city’s east bench (east of 1200 East and east of Gibbons Parkway, including the north and south slopes of the island area); the Gravel Pit Closure (a rectangular area bounded by 1200 East, 1000 North, 1400 East and 1200 North); the West Closure (the area west of 600 West to the city boundary); the North Closure (generally the area around the Logan Airport).
City residents may discharge privately purchased fireworks between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. from July 2 to July 5 and July 22 to July 25, under state law.
Hannig also noted that discharge hours would be extended to midnight on July 4 and July 24.
Under guidelines spelled out in state law, vendors may sell Class C fireworks to the general public between June 24 and July 25.
Class C fireworks include igniters, fuses and “common” fireworks. They are considered low explosives and suitable for private use, being generally smaller than more powerful Class B fireworks, which are used in commercial and public displays.
July 4 falls on a Monday this year, making that weekend a three-day holiday.
Since Pioneer Day falls on a Sunday, most local municipalities will observe that occasion on Monday, July 25.
Hannig said the Logan Police Department will enforce those closure area prohibitions to reduce the threat of wildfires due to the unsafe discharge of fireworks.
State officials say that 99 percent of Utah’s land area is already experiencing severe drought or worse conditions that could easily result in uncontrolled wildfires. Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency due to the statewide drought conditions in April.