Clark County Council to mull allowing December fireworks sales

When the Clark County Council passed an emergency ban on fireworks sales and use in late June because of dry conditions and the risk of fires, it left many retailers high and dry.

Now, fireworks vendors want the county to allow sales for five days at the end of December to offset their financial losses from the summer. According to Council Manager Kathleen Otto, the county was recently approached by a fireworks vendor asking for the additional sales period prior to New Year’s Eve.

“As you remember, last Fourth of July, there were no fireworks due to the fire ban, the excessive heat and dry conditions,” Otto told the council at its Dec. 1 meeting. “The earliest the council could meet … would be Friday, Dec. 17.”

The council voted 3-2 to hold the public hearing on that date. Councilors Temple Lentz and Julie Olson voted against holding the meeting then because the council was already scheduled to be off and both would be unavailable for the meeting.

If approved, the interim ordinance would allow a one-time sales period for fireworks from noon on Monday, Dec. 27, until 11 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31.

Although fireworks are allowed to be discharged on New Year’s Eve from 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 1 a.m. on Jan. 1, current county code restricts the sale of fireworks to July 28 through July 4 only.

The ordinance would apply to 2021 only and would not open the door to fireworks sales outside of the summer months in future years. While the council could consider a permanent ordinance to allow fireworks sales between Christmas and New Year’s, it is not considering that option currently.

The county council meeting begins at 9 a.m. and will be held remotely. For more information or to submit comments prior to the meeting, go to clark.wa.gov/councilors/clark-county-council-meetings.