Fireworks Shows Planned Despite Extreme Fire Danger

By Laurel Morales
July 03, 2014

Even though northern Arizona forests are in extreme fire danger, Flagstaff and Prescott plan to have fireworks shows on the Fourth of July. The cities take many precautions.

Through an essay contest the city of Prescott won a much bigger fireworks display this year. But Prescott Fire Battalion Chief Don Devendorf said while there will be more shells, the fallout range will be no bigger than last year. And he said they’re not taking any chances.

“(We’ll have) two forest service engine companies, two city fire trucks,” Devendorf said. “We’ll have a minimum of three brush trucks. We’ll have some off road vehicles, county water tender that pre-wets the area and at least one hotshot crew all standing by during the time the fireworks are going off and at least an hour afterwards."

Flagstaff will also have firefighters standing by during its show, which will take place on a well-irrigated golf course.

City officials said they would rather have people watching fireworks in a controlled environment than setting them off illegally in the forest and potentially starting a wildfire.

While the Coconino National Forest is closed in Oak Creek Canyon, more than a million and a half acres remain open. These forests are under type two fire restrictions — meaning no campfires, no smoking, no chainsaws and no fireworks in the forests.