UPDATED: Parowan bans all fireworks for July Fourth; will they be legal in your neighborhood?

A stock image shows fireworks bursting over the night sky | Photo by oatawa/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — People in Parowan won’t be able to discharge fireworks this Fourth of July because of a ban in the city, but there are still plenty of places across Southern Utah to safely and legally display one’s patriotism through pyrotechnics.


Update June 25, 6:35 p.m. Although the town of Brian Head had originally planned to host fireworks on both June 30 and July 4, both shows were canceled Monday at the recommendation of the fire marshal. Information in article has been updated accordingly. The town’s other celebration events are scheduled to go as planned, town officials say.


The Parowan City Council made the unanimous decision to ban all fireworks within city limits during a special meeting Tuesday. The ban in Parowan is in effect until at least July 23 — one day before Pioneer Day — at which time the City Council will review the fire danger information and make a decision whether to change the restrictions. Parowan city’s Fourth of July fireworks show has also been canceled. 

Parowan banned fireworks last year as well, and this year’s decision came “with a heavy heart” because of “extremely dry conditions this year,” according to a statement on the city’s Facebook page.

In other places across southwestern Utah, fireworks are usually allowed within city limits away from dry washes, hillsides or undeveloped open space, but each city has different restrictions. Here’s where fireworks are allowed and where they won’t be this Independence Day.


Washington County

St. George

A map shows all the places within St. George city limits where fireworks are outlawed. Fireworks are only allowed within the unshaded areas within St. George city limits on this map | Map courtesy of St. George City, St. George News | Click to enlarge

Fireworks are banned in St. George within 250 feet of dry washes, river corridors, hillsides, plateaus, natural terrain, golf courses and undeveloped open space.

The city provides a map online that shows everywhere fireworks are outlawed with these restrictions. Fireworks are allowed in most neighborhoods in St. George, except for a few near Bloomington Hills, SunRiver, Sunbrook Golf Club, north of Diagonal Street and north of St. George Boulevard between Interstate 15 and Main Street.

There will be a free fireworks show at 10 p.m. July 4 on the Dixie State University encampment mall after the 99.9 KONY County 4th of July Celebration featuring Scotty McCreery.

Washington City

Fireworks are permitted in most of the city, except near the Shinob Kibe and Washington Dome hills, as well as some undeveloped areas of the city. An online map shows the locations of where fireworks are allowed in the city.

Santa Clara

Fireworks are allowed in most of the neighborhoods within the city. A map of where fireworks are not allowed within Santa Clara is available online.

Ivins

Based on restrictions passed in 2017. fireworks are banned within most of the city in Ivins, including within 250 feet of natural terrain. They will only be allowed within a few neighborhoods within the central area of the city. A map of where fireworks are allowed in Ivins is also available online.

Hurricane

Fireworks may not be discharged within 200 feet of dry brush, vegetation or buildings.

La Verkin

Fireworks are only allowed on city streets, Wanlass Park, Vintage Park and areas more than 100 feet away from any hillside. 

Fireworks are also banned in Rockville, Springdale, New Harmony and on all the state parks, including Quail Creek, Sand Hollow and Snow Canyon.


Iron County

Cedar City

Personal fireworks are permitted within city limits.

Fireworks explode during Utah Summer Games opening ceremonies in Cedar City, Utah, June 14, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News/Cedar City News

The Cedar City Fire Department recommends that fireworks only be used in large open spaces where conditions are present to provide for fire control, including the south parking lot of Cedar High School, the parking lot at the Bicentennial softball complex, the Iron Springs Elementary parking lot and the Canyon View Middle School parking lot

The city’s annual fireworks display is scheduled for 10 p.m. July 4, with the pyrotechnics being launched from the northeast corner of the airport.

Enoch

Fireworks are only allowed in two locations — in the paved parking lots at the city offices at 900 E. Midvalley Road, and at Enoch Elementary School on Tomahawk Drive.

Enoch City will be hosting a fireworks show at 10 p.m. on July 4 at the Enoch City Park. 

Brian Head

Severe fire restrictions are in place for the town limits of Brian Head, with all personal fireworks being banned until further notice. 

Although Brian Head was planning on hosting two fireworks shows this year, on June 30 and July 4, both shows were cancelled June 25 at the recommendation of the fire marshal. Other events will go as planned. Check the town’s events website and Facebook page for the latest updates.


County lands and other new restrictions 

Fireworks and campfires are banned in all state, federal and other unincorporated private lands within Washington, Iron, Kane, Beaver and Garfield counties. This ban was ordered on June 1 by the Utah Department of Natural Resources and does not affect land within towns or city limits.

Also, according to a new law passed during the most recent Utah legislative session, fireworks can only be discharged between July 2 and July 5, and between July 22 and July 25.

Read more: Utah House passes bill reducing summer fireworks use

Resources

  • Map of statewide fire restrictions.
  • Fire restriction order for southwest Utah effective June 1.
  • Links to other fire restrictions and wildfire information statewide at Utah Fire Info.

St. George News reporter Spencer Ricks contributed to this report.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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3 Comments

  • jaltair June 20, 2018 at 8:43 pm

    I think the bans mentioned will be okay. If people would support the fire depts, it would probably be good to have centralized fireworks for people and ban all firewoks within the counties, cities included. Kids could still get certain types of fireworks like snakes and sparklers, things not air-bound. This last suggestion comes because of dry, drought conditions.

  • utahdiablo June 20, 2018 at 10:07 pm

    Utah Wildfires will not stop until the State Bans all Aerial Fireworks…but that won’t happen because of the mighty greed machine

  • jigsywinnietippy12 June 21, 2018 at 7:28 pm

    I lived in St George for ten years, and the fireworks from the 4th of July until Pioneer Day was unbelievable. It is legal not only for the 4th of July, but for the period of time until Pioneer Day, which is about three weeks. No one cared at all about possibly disturbing the peace, and we all had to put up with it. People are allowed to set off fireworks in front of their neighbor’s homes, along with their own homes. I had the empty casings of fireworks to clean up in my front yard. Happy that there were no fires. This is absolutely ridiculous in a dry, desert climate. Also, the noise every night for about three weeks was not fun. Of course all of the many children really enjoyed it.

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