Fire officials urge extra caution on July 4th

WASHINGTON — While any pyrotechnic comes with some inherent risk, public safety officials say dry conditions in Southeast Iowa this year would make firework mishaps more likely and more severe.

Washington had a house burn down because of a firework on North Avenue C on July 4, 2020, something Washington Fire Chief Brendan DeLong said he remembers to this day.

“A spark or an ember or a flint or something can fall down a ways away from where you set it off,” he said. “Pretty soon you have a fire, or grass fire, field fire, or even a house fire.”

DeLong reminded Washington residents that fireworks were prohibited by the city ordinance, but said people launching them in the countryside should take care to follow every instruction, and avoid fire hazards like tall grass and buildings.

“Just be cautious, make sure you know exactly how to set them off, make sure you’re safe in doing it,” he said. “Everybody loves a good firework show, I respect the people that like to set them off.”

That’s an assessment Ainsworth Fire Chief Waylon Schultz agreed with, saying a drought this year had already heightened the fire risk even without fireworks in the picture.

“Most years, we don’t have any grass fires this time of year, but recently around the county, and surrounding counties, there’s been quite a few,” he said. “Any time you see grass and weeds and stuff like that turning brown, the fire risk always goes up. Those things light off easier when they’re dried off like that, and then they spread to houses, or barns or sheds or anything like that.”

While fireworks are not prohibited by Ainsworth’s municipal code, he said launching them in city limits was still a bad idea.

“We strongly encourage people not to shoot them off in town,” he said. “Always use them as they’re intended to be used, make sure you follow the directions on the package, people are back at a safe distance, making sure the adults are … the proper age, not after consuming alcohol.”

Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen said a welcome round of precipitation on Thursday and Friday certainly helped lower the fire risk, but fell far short of negating it entirely.

“We are in a better position right now than we were a week ago,” she said. “However, we are still significantly below average for … our average rainfall. So I just want to encourage people to use caution if they are lighting consumer-grade fireworks.”

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Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com