SLC firefighters urge residents to obey fireworks restrictions
Jul 1, 2022, 5:17 PM | Updated: 8:06 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — Firefighters passed out flyers Friday, reminding residents that fireworks are banned in portions of Salt Lake City.
The flyers — printed in English and Spanish — have a QR code that links to more information about the city’s restrictions and a map showing where fireworks are prohibited on the east, north and west sides of the city and along the Jordan River.
Violators could face a $1,000 fine.
“It’s hot. It’s not going to get any cooler,” said Salt Lake City Fire Chief Karl Lieb. “It’s windy — that’s particularly hazardous — and there’s a lot of fuel out there and it’s willing to burn. It’s really super dry.”
The fire chief said fires in the restricted areas would be fast and dangerous for residents and for the firefighters responding to the emergency.
“If there’s a way you can celebrate without igniting fireworks this year, I would do so,” Lieb added.
In addition to the door hangers, the city also has lawn signs and an electronic road sign flashing the message “No Fireworks” to passing motorists and pedestrians.
Staff from the University of Utah Health’s Burn Center joined Lieb for a press conference Friday to urge Utah families to use extreme caution with fireworks and to use alternatives like glow sticks and bubbles.
“We are asking, begging, for you all to be as safe as possible,” said Dr. Irma Fleming.
Fleming said the burn center has seen an increase in injuries from fireworks during the pandemic, possibly from more people lighting them off at home instead of going to professional shows.
“Most of our burn injuries are related to children under 15 years old,” Fleming said.
Fleming issued a special warning for sparklers because of the extreme heat and how children tend to hold them close to their bodies.
“Sparklers, even though they may seem benign, are very, very dangerous, especially for children,” she said. “They’re about as hot as a blowtorch.”
Salt Lake County Emergency Management and Unified Fire Authority have released a map showing where fireworks are prohibited in the county for 2022.
In areas where fireworks are allowed, they can only be let off during four-day windows around the July 4 and July 24 holidays.
For the July 4 holiday, the discharge window starts on July 2 and runs through July 5. Fireworks are allowed from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on those days — except on July 4 when the time is extended until midnight.
For the July 24 Pioneer Day holiday, the fireworks discharge window starts on July 22 and runs through July 25 between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. each day. Fireworks are also allowed an extra hour — until midnight — on July 24.
The Utah Fire Marshal keeps a list of fireworks restriction maps from municipalities across the state. You’ll find them posted here.
