Man wears a face mask as he shops for fireworks at Wild Willy's Fireworks tent in Omaha, Neb., ahead of the 4th of July holiday 29 Jun 2020 Photo by Nati Harnik/ AP/Shutterstock (10694970b)
SALT LAKE CITY– The Fire Marshal of Salt Lake City is warning residents of possible firework citations this season. Illegally lighting fireworks could turn into a Class B Misdemeanor and a $1,000 fine. However, Salt Lake City Fire Marshall Tony Allred’s goal isn’t to write citations for people who didn’t know they were breaking the law–it’s to prevent fires from happening in the first place.
A key aspect to stopping potential blazes, says Allred, is informing the public about fire dangers, conditions, laws, and personal accountability.
“If I can, if my people go out and interact with the public, educate them, let them know why it’s dangerous, let them know what the current law is, and get some compliance – understand I can do that several times in the amount of time it takes me to write one citation for someone who didn’t know,” Allred told KSL NewsRadio’s Dave and Dujanovic.
One big part citations are written is due to people not knowing where fireworks are restricted. Allred’s advice is to take the time to stay up to date on the constantly changing restrictions.
Despite wanting to educate the public and not issue citations, Allred states his team will if the situation calls for it.
“That does not mean that we will hesitate to, you know, to write citations, if they’re warranted, we will absolutely. We do not want to,” said Allred.
As a way to notify residents, Salt Lake County created an interactive map displaying where fireworks are prohibited. There’s also a running list of what cities and counties in Utah are implementing firework restrictions. You can also visit the Salt Lake Fire Departments’ website for recent fire restriction updates.
And if community members do decide to light personal fireworks this holiday season, Allred asks they be responsible.
“Bring your own things and get out the garden hoses and have a safe and good, you know, fireworks display,” encouraged Allred.
If someone in the Salt Lake County community is breaking firework regulations and creating a potential danger, Allred advises calling the non-emergency line at 801-799-3000.