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County allows fireworks on the Fourth

Patrick Parkinson, Of the Record staff

Fireworks were selling briskly this week in western Summit County.

But Dan’s Foods manager Julie Clyde says she doesn’t expect sales to really "take off until Saturday."

Customers will be purchasing the patriotic explosives in droves after another shipment arrives this weekend.

"We don’t sell to anyone under 18," Clyde said, adding that cashiers ask for identification. "And we have the normal stickers for safety cautions and when they’re legal."

Though lighting fireworks on state land was banned Friday, people can still celebrate Independence Day in their yards with sparklers and other legal explosives.

High-flying bottle rockets and Roman candles are always illegal in the state, however, so-called class C fireworks — that don’t exceed heights of 15 feet or travel more than 10 feet along the ground will be legal July 4.

Permits to sell class C fireworks in western Summit County were issued to Dan’s Foods, Albertsons, Wal-Mart and Smith’s Food and Drug, Assistant Park City Fire Chief Scott Adams said, adding that officials haven’t determined whether fireworks would be sold on Pioneer Day, July 24.

"Use common sense," Adams said.

Fireworks should be discharged on hard surfaces, like driveways, he said, adding that grassy areas must be avoided.

Soak spent fireworks in water, Adams said, adding, "it must always be done under adult supervision."

According to State Forester Joel Frandsen, "extremely dry conditions and volatility of vegetation throughout the state" prompted the fireworks ban.

"It’s only prudent to take this action at this time as evident by the number and size of wildland fires occurring on a daily basis in the state," Frandsen said in press release from the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. "Our wildlands right now are vulnerable to damaging and costly forest and range fires."

The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service already prohibits the use of fireworks of federal land.

The state ban doesn’t affect counties or municipalities, Frandsen said, adding that Washington is so far the only county this year to ban fireworks.

"I’m not personally a great fan of fireworks but I don’t want to spoil anybody’s fun as long as it’s safe to have that fun," Summit County Commissioner Sally Elliott said.

Meanwhile, Summit County Attorney David Brickey warns that fireworks can cause serious injuries.

"The sparklers and the smoke devices, those are still legal," he said. "But we’ve all seen people who have been injured, so, I really hope that there are parents supervising those kids."

Fireworks often result in burns or eye injuries, Adams said.

"There are a lot of injuries," Adams said. "Especially young kids."


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