For a great graphic representation of the damage caused by fireworks click here.
Currently Island County allows fireworks from July 3 - July 5, starting at 9:00am and ending at 11:00pm on the 3rd and 5th and midnight on the 4th. As fireworks have been banned in King and Snohomish Counties (as well as many others) more visitors are coming to the islands for their firework fun, creating a bigger problem for the residents of Island County. Click on the button below for more information.
Disturbing an Eagle is a wildlife crime. Fireworks that disturb and eagle's nest constitutes a crime. Below is a letter a Whidbey citizen received after neighbors complained about the fireworks.
Fireworks are always illegal:
-In city, county and state parks
-On federal land, including land managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Forest Service
-On Public property, public street, sidewalks, parking lots, or school property
-On private property without permission, and from private property onto public property
-Possession or discharge of certain fireworks including: firecrackers, rockets, M-80s, dynamite and all homemade fireworks.
Fireworks are not a constitutional right
The power of government to regulate and restrain the use of fireworks cannot be denied. Indeed, considering the nature of the product, that power is better described as a duty when we think of the destructive nature of explosives and the danger to life and property attendant upon its use. It is with this thought in mind that we hold as reasonable the distinction between proven, experienced, qualified retail fireworks licensees on the one hand and other applicants who may also be qualified, but as yet without experience and still unproven. Demonstrated qualifications, concern for safety, obedience to rules and regulations concerning the care, stowage and handling of the explosive product, and manifested skill and ability as operators in this particularly sensitive field of business are all matters of unusual importance that are entitled to special consideration. These are factors to be weighed in proportion to the dangers involved in a particular business; care by persons having possession of a potentially dangerous product is assuredly greater than that required of those dealing with an innocuous product. The classification established here by the City of Tacoma in its regulation of fireworks has a reasonable and rational relationship toward preserving the public health and safety of that community.
Here's where fireworks are illegal today:
King County
Fireworks are BANNED in:
Unincorporated King County (new in 2022 - including Skyway, White Center, Snoqualmie Valley, Greater Maple Valley, Enumclaw Plateau and Vashon Island), Algona, Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Carnation, Clyde Hill, Covington, Des Moines, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Medina, Newcastle, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Tukwla, Woodinville
Pierce County
Fireworks are BANNED in:
Crystal Mountain, Fircrest, Greenwater, JBLM, Ruston, Steilacoom and Tacoma
Snohomish County
Fireworks are BANNED in:
Arlington, Brier, Edmonds, Everett, Gold Bar, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Woodway, and in unincorporated southwest Snohomish County
Thurston County
Fireworks are BANNED in:
Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater
Kitsap County
Fireworks are BANNED in:
Bainbridge Island
Whatcom County
Fireworks are BANNED in:
Bellingham
Mason County
Fireworks are BANNED in:
Shelton
Municipal Code that regulates fireworks:
Chelan Municipal Code Ch. 8.10 – Establishes different penalties for unlawful possession of fireworks based on the weight of the fireworks seized.
Franklin County Code Ch. 8.04 – Includes a provision for the seizure of any fireworks found in violation of the code.
Kirkland Municipal Code Ch. 11.60 – Includes detailed minimum standards and conditions for public displays.
Langley Municipal Code Ch. 9.05 – Prohibits fireworks and sky lanterns, with exceptions for authorized public displays, religious or private organizations as provided in RCW 70.77.311(2), and special effects for entertainment media pursuant to RCW 70.77.535.
Tukwila Ordinance No. 2672 (2022) – Allows sale/use of ground-based fireworks but prohibits aerial fireworks. Authorizes fire official to prohibit fireworks during periods of extreme fire danger and establishes regulations for temporary fireworks stands.
Common Resistance Points and Counterpoints
Family Tradition:
My family has been gathering for years to celebrate and we love to light fireworks.
Many of us can relate, we remember the days when the loud and destructive fireworks were the exception, but unfortunately they are now the norm. It is no longer one family enjoying the show, it impacts people (some who are vulnerable) for miles around whether they want it to or not.
I Always Clean Up my Mess:
Whenever I light fireworks, I make it a point to clean up the debris.
Unfortunately that is not always the case, but even if it was the pollution from the smoke cannot be cleaned and the debris that gets into waterways is also impossible to clean up.
If You Don’t Like It, Leave.
I have property rights and I should not be prevented from doing what I want. If you don’t like it, then leave.
Sadly, many people who do not enjoy fireworks do have to leave which is an unfair cost burden to them and an infringement on their property rights. In addition to cost, it means their home is left unmonitored which can be risky if a stray firework hits their home. In addition, people with multiple or large animals simply CANNOT leave.
My pet doesn’t mind.
It is too bad that other animals are distressed, but it is just for a couple of days.
Unfortunately, it is no longer just a one-day event, the booms go on for days and are unpredictable. It is unreasonable for people to have to drug or isolate their animals for days and it is an unfair cost burden for low-income families to have to purchase expensive medications for their pets.
My organization sells fireworks as a fundraiser.
My charitable organization needs the money we get from selling fireworks.
We understand that this will require a change, but there are many other ways to raise funds that are not so destructive.
The current code just needs to be enforced.
We have a code that just needs to be enforced better.
The current code is simply unenforceable with the law enforcement staffing budget—a significant tax increase would be required to fund the necessary staff. Further, it is simply not possible for law enforcement to discern what is a “legal” vs “illegal” firework.
The ban should only be in communities that want it.
Every community should have the right to decide for themselves if they want to ban fireworks, it should not be dictated by the county.
A patchwork of communities with different codes would create an insurmountable enforcement challenge. Further it would not solve the pollution or wildlife issue as sound and air pollution does not recognize property boundaries. For those communities that want a display, we support the ability of a municipality to choose to obtain a permit for a professional display.
Related Articles
How extreme heat scorched Pacific Northwest evergreen trees, Seattle Times, February 13, 2023
As summers in the Pacific Northwest trend hotter, researchers and state forestry leaders are trying to understand how trees west of the Cascade crest will fare. Trees play a critical role in reducing erosion, improving water quality and sequestering carbon, and if they’re damaged, climate change and its impacts would intensify.
June 28th, 2021, Seattle temperatures reached 108 degrees. The tips of western red cedar, hemlock and Douglas fir limbs looked as if they were scorched by passing flames just a few days after the Pacific Northwest’s extreme heat wave.
Researchers concluded, in a paper published in January of 2022 in Tree Physiology, that the trees were damaged as a result of drought and an inability of trees to release water vapor to cool down. They also note that some of the regions ubiquitous evergreens died as a result.
The June 2021 heat dome was among the most extreme heat waves ever recorded globally and the most intense in the observational record for the region.
Max temperatures were about 30 degrees above the average of the hottest months over the past decade. The highest temperature was 61 degrees hotter than the average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Northwest Climate Hub.
In 2021, the state Department of Natural Resources flew aerial surveys of federal, tribal, state and private lands. They mapped about 84,000 acres of heat-scorched damage — all of it in Western Washington. Douglas fir, western hemlock and western red cedar saw the worst of it.
Festive Fireworks Create Harmful Pall Of Pollution
Fireworks Injuries increased by 56% in 2020, underscoring dangers of consumer fireworks
2021 Fire in Washington Document
According to the Washington State Fire Marshal’s most recent report, there were 588 fireworks related fires in 2020; increasing to 842 in 2021. Those incidents resulted in $4.5 million in property loss in Washington. The report also stated that, “most of the firework’s related injuries are due to holding or throwing fireworks (40%) or hit by fireworks or debris (36%) and legal fireworks accounted for 47% of the injuries reported in 2021.” (Fire in Washington; Prepared by the Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office, 2021)
The following Fireworks are legal in Washington State:
The following Fireworks are always illegal everywhere in Washington State:
