Pullman won’t put stop to fireworks

Personal legal fireworks and the public Fourth of July fireworks display at Sunnyside Park are allowed in Pullman this year.

During a special City Council meeting held Friday afternoon, Pullman City Attorney Laura McAloon clarified that the city did not have authority under state law to prohibit the discharge of fireworks this year.

In response, the City Council passed an ordinance change that would give the city’s fire chief authority to prohibit the discharge of fireworks during periods of extreme fire danger starting next year, the year delay required by state law.

Across the border, Moscow Fire Chief Brian Nickerson on Friday issued a ban on all fireworks within city limits, according to a news release from the Moscow Volunteer Fire Department.

In Pullman, McAloon said the fire chief can rescind the permit for the Pullman Chamber of Commerce fireworks display and retail sales permits for fireworks. The City Council does not have this authority.

Pullman Fire Marshall Chris Wehrung and Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Scharnhorst both stated their support of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce fireworks display at Sunnyside Park and discussed their efforts to prevent fires.

Wehrung said he performs inspections to make sure the pyrotechnic responsible for Sunday’s fireworks show is in compliance with the fire code. Whitman County Fire District 12 is also on hand to address fire concerns.

“Here in the city of Pullman I think we are in the best position as we can be knowing that that fire danger is high but we’re doing what we can to make sure that we can have that fast initial attack response to keep any and all fires as small as possible,” Scharnhorst said.

Wehrung said he and Fire Marshal Tony Nuttman have also been doing patrols around the city to respond to reports of fireworks. This weekend, they will make sure people are being safe with their fireworks and will continue confiscating illegal fireworks.

“We’re doing everything we can to protect the community,” he said.

Scharnhorst said that during the Fourth of July holiday in 2015, a similarly hot and dry year, Pullman firefighters responded to only four small fires that caused a total of $2,000 in damage.

The city issued a news release this week strongly discouraging people from discharging personal fireworks this year because of the fire danger. It stated the city cannot ban personal fireworks locally unless the governor issues a state of emergency.

The council members noted that many residents have voiced their concerns about fireworks being allowed during hot and dry conditions.

Councilman Nathan Weller questioned whether Pullman should continue with its Fourth of July fireworks display at Sunnyside Park. He expressed concern that this sends mixed messages to the public that they should discharge their own fireworks.

“Will it reduce personal firework use or show people that fireworks are OK to use because there is a public display?” he said. “This is messaging. Keep in mind the public doesn’t see all of the preparation, which is extensive, that occurs to make the area safe.”

Other council members stated their support of Sunday’s show at Sunnyside Park as a way to celebrate the holiday and end of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. They also stated they will abstain from lighting their own fireworks at home.

Personal fireworks are only allowed in Pullman on July 3, July 4 and New Years Eve.

In Moscow, despite a Thursday announcement from the city that legal fireworks would be permissible, Nickerson said after monitoring weather, temperature and other factors over the last several days, changing conditions have made the ban necessary.

“While temperature alone is only one factor in calculating fire risk, within the last 24-hours we have monitored decreased humidity and other risk factors, which when taken together has now reached a severe fire risk,” Nickerson said in the release. “The vegetation in the City has dried enough to present a danger to the public when exposed to fireworks, even legally permitted fireworks.”

The release notes aerial fireworks are illegal in the State of Idaho and represent the biggest risk of starting a fire. Their use is a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. The fire chief’s ban makes the use of nonaerial fireworks a misdemeanor in Moscow city limits as well, the release said.

Elsewhere, Colfax has not banned personal fireworks but in a news release this week encouraged people to use caution when handling them.

In Latah County fireworks are banned Potlatch, Juliaetta, Kendrick, Onoway, Princeton and Harvard.

There are burn bans in cities across Whitman County. Whitman County has also banned fireworks, campfires and smoking in county parks and trails.

Fireworks, wood fires and charcoal fires are also banned at Washington State Parks.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.