Fireworks Information
From the Office of the State Fire Marshal the dates and times common fireworks may be legally sold or discharged in areas with no ban or restrictions are:
June 28th……………………….Between 12:00 noon and 11:00 PM
June 29th through July 3rd…….Between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM
July 4th…………………………Between 9 AM and 12:00 Midnight
July 5th…………………………Between 9 AM and 11:00 PM
Dec. 31st……………………….Between 6:00 PM and 1:00 AM
Legal Fireworks
RCW 70.77.136 “Consumer fireworks” means any small firework device designed to produce visible effects by combustion and which must comply with the construction, chemical composition, and labeling regulations of the US consumer product safety commission, as set forth in 16 C.F.R. Parts 1500 and 1507 and including some small devices designed to produce audible effects, such as whistling devices, ground devices containing 50 mg or less of explosive materials, and aerial devices containing 130 mg or less of explosive materials and classified as fireworks UN0336 by the US department of transportation at 49 C.F.R. Sec. 172.101 as of June 13, 2002, and not including fused set pieces containing components which together exceed 50 mg of salute powder.
Fireworks Legal on Tribal Land
Firecrackers, bottle rockets, missiles and rockets are legal to posses and discharge on tribal lands. These items are illegal in Washington State and become illegal fireworks when possessed off tribal lands.
Illegal Explosive Devices
M-80’s and larger, dynamite and any improvised, homemade or altered explosive devices such as tennis balls or cherry bombs are illegal explosive devices. Persons in possession or using illegal explosives devices can and should be charged with a felony.
From the office of the Washington State Patrol:
What is an Illegal Explosive Device?
Illegal explosive devices are often wrongly referred to as fireworks because they look like large firecrackers, but they can have as much explosive power as a ¼ stick of dynamite.
What kinds of fireworks are illegal in our state?
Firecrackers are ¼ “x 1 ½” or less and contain less than .13 grams of powder.
Bottle rockets are ¼” x 1 ½”, attached to a 12” stick, and their color may vary.
Skyrockets are ½’ inside diameter, attached to a stick for guidance, and contain up to 20 grams of powder.
These fireworks are illegal, except on tribal lands, and cause 90% of all fireworks related fires in Washington State.
There were 1,236 firework-related injuries and/or fires reported to the Office of the State Fire Marshal in 2009 by fire departments and hospital emergency rooms. This is a 57% increase from the previous year’s total of 785. Of the 1.236 reports received, there were 1,036 fires and 200 injuries. These incidents resulted in $5.6 million in property loss.
There were 89 fireworks-related residential fire incidents in Washington State during the 2009 fireworks season. Residential fires accounted for 8% of the total fires reported in 2009 and 96% of the fire loss. The heat from spent fireworks on roof surfaces can ignite exterior roof covering. Several of these fires were large losses.
Fireworks related injuries by age and gender show that male youth and young adults are most often injured. The leading type of injury reported was burn injuries, accounting for 59% of the total. The second leading injury type was trauma at 30%.
Fire Department firework related calls in Skagit County totaled 68 and 184 in Snohomish County.
From 2005-2009, there were 4,937 fireworks-related emergency incidents in Washington State with a five year average of 987 incidents annually.
M80’s, M100’s, M1000’s are not fireworks; they are illegal explosive devices. They can cause amputations or other severe injuries and possessing them has legal consequences.
Fireworks Threaten Animals
Firework displays and celebrations bring confusion, anxiety and fear into the lives of animals, causing many terrorized animals to run away from their homes in an effort to escape the frightening and traumatizing detonations.
Firework explosions can produce a blind panic in animals that can lead to serious injury, deep-rooted, debilitating fears, or even death. The ears of most animals are considerably more sensitive that the human ear. One can only imagine what they think, given how much more sensitive their hearing is than ours. The explosion of a firework (which can emit sounds of up to 190 decibels, a full 110 to 115 decibels higher than the 75- to 80- decibel range, where damage to the human ear begins) not only is proportionately more disturbing to an animal, it can also affect an animal’s acute sense of hearing. Fireworks generate a noise level higher that the noise from gunshots (140 decibels) and low-level flying jets (100 decibels).
Fireworks produce light, noise and air pollution. The explosion of fireworks also releases poisonous chemicals and particle-laden smoke, contaminating our natural environment. As a consequence, fireworks pose a hazard to wildlife living in or near areas where firework displays occur, as well as wildlife downwind. In addition, we cannot forget humans with asthma and other health problems.
Violation/911 calls regarding Illegal
Fireworks
When contacted and asked the question, The Skagit County Sheriff’s office states that currently they respond to virtually every call. The number of deputies has decreased and they are forced to prioritize calls based on their severity. A report of illegal discharge of fireworks would be a lower priority call. If the report was during a burn ban, it would receive a much higher priority. The Sheriff’s office generally issues a verbal warning for a first offense; however subsequent offenses or if during a burn ban could result in a citation being issued. The offense is a criminal violation with a bail of $250.00 or violations of over one pound of explosives is a $500.00 bail. The actual penalty could theoretically include jail time, but the penalty is set by the judge. Information for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department was not complied at this writing.
For additional information and questions contact:
Ms. Karen Jones Or Mr. Dan Johnson
Deputy State Fire Marshal Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal
Phone: 360.596.3916 Phone: 360.596.3913
Karen.jones@wsp.wa.gov dan.johnson@wsp.wa.gov