By News-Register staff • 

County calls on all residents to skip the fireworks this year

Yamhill County Commissioners have joined the county Fire Defense Board in calling on all residents not to set off fireworks to celebrate July 4th this year.

“Have a safe, fun, fireworks-free Independence Day,” the board order, released on Friday, says.

The order, signed by all three county commissioners, Terry Lucich who is Fire Defense Board chief and chief of the Lafayette and Carlton fire departments, and by Fred Hertel, chief of the Sheridan, SW Polk and West Valley fire districts.

It notes that:

“Record heat and dry makes our county unsafe for using fireworks. Save your fireworks for when the temperature is lower, and the land is wet.”

Using them under current conditions, it says, “puts you and your neighbors in danger, and you can be charged with criminal and civil penalties from damage caused by your fireworks.

“The use of illegal fireworks (ones that fly in the air, explode, or travel more than 12 feet over the ground, can lead to fines of up to $2,500 per item.”

It notes that “You cannot use fireworks in county and city parks, national forests, on BLM land, on US Fish & Wildlife land, on state beaches, in state parks and in state campgrounds.”

If people do choose to set off fireworks, the board order states, they should be sure to use only legal ones, in permitted areas, and to make sure they have a hose or bucket of water nearby and keep children and pets away.

The order notes that July 4 typically has a high emergency call volume.

“Consider the situation before dialing and consider calling your local non-emergency line,” it advises.

 

Comments

GRM

Good luck with that

Rotwang

County residents: "Hold my beer!"

Grabhorn

This would have had way more credibiity if the chiefs would have just issued it themselves and left the political opportunists out of the picture. As soon as you bring Starrett and Berschauer into the picture, then it becomes a photo op and a political banner. They need to figure out what it means to run the county and focus on that.

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