Sparklers and fireworks on sale at the discount fireworks stand at Commercial Street SE and Bush Street SE in Salem on June 26, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
A Salem city councilor’s motion to ban the sale and use of fireworks fizzled Monday evening when councilors ultimately voted learn more before acting.
Councilor Vanessa Nordyke initially proposed an ordinance prohibiting the sale and use of fireworks in the event of hazardous conditions during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
“The reality is this will not be the last year we have a severe drought. It will not be the last year that we have triple digit temperatures. And it won’t be the last year that people come to us asking us to take those considerations into, to basically take those conditions into consideration and decide whether it makes sense to allow the sale and use of fireworks to continue without acknowledging those concerns,” she said during the meeting.
Councilors Jim Lewis, Virginia Stapleton and Chris Hoy said they weren’t in favor of the motion. Lewis and Stapleton cited the city’s existing authority and the holiday tradition.
Fireworks are only allowed to be sold in Oregon from June 23 to July 6. Though they can be set off any time of year, said Fire Chief Mike Niblock.
He told councilors said the main fire danger is from fireworks that are already illegal in Oregon.
Niblock said the city manager already has the authority to declare an emergency prohibiting the sale and use of fireworks in the event of extreme fire danger.
City manager Steve Powers chose not to instate a firework ban during the Fourth of July this year. Officials in many other Oregon cities chose to do so because of extreme drought and record-shattering temperatures the week prior.
Niblock said that decision was made after looking at local weather forecasts that showed the risk of a large fire was minimal.
“What we don’t do is look at global warming as a reason to do a firework ban. We look at actual weather conditions in the city,” he said.
Niblock told councilors in the last decade, the largest loss from a fireworks-related fire was $7,000.
During this year’s holiday weekend there were five fires related to fireworks, resulting in $3,000 in property loss, Niblock said.
“The issue of ‘fireworks are causing a lot of fires’ simply is not the case in Salem,” he said.
Hoy said said any kind of ban would need to be coordinated with Marion County where a lot of fireworks go off.
Lewis said, “I truly believe the city already has a system that can ban fireworks if the situation dictates it. I don’t think we need to create more authority, I think it’s already there.”
Mayor Chuck Bennett made a motion for Powers to schedule a work session for a future date. Councilors unanimously voted in favor of the work session.
Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected].
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