‘Safe & Sane’ Fireworks Sales Period Starts Monday
June 25, 2021
| Office of Public Communications • (702) 455-3546 • FAX (702) 455-3558 • www.ClarkCountyNV.gov | ||
| Contact: Stacey Welling Sr. Public Information Officer |
Phone: Cell: E-mail: |
(702) 455-3201 (702) 249-3823 stac@ClarkCountyNV.gov |
| For Immediate Release Thursday, June 24, 2021 | ||
‘Safe & Sane’ Fireworks Sales Period Starts Monday
With “safe and sane” fireworks going on sale next week at permitted fireworks booths, officials are reminding the public that these are the only fireworks legal for use in Clark County and the neighboring cities, and only from June 28 through July 4, when authorized dealers are allowed to sell them. No fireworks are allowed after midnight on July 4.
All fireworks, including those labeled “safe and sane,” are a concern during the spring and summer months when the threat of wildland fire is highest in Southern Nevada. Neighborhood concerns about noise, litter, and the use of illegal fireworks purchased outside the Las Vegas Valley also are common. No fireworks of any kind are allowed at Clark County Wetlands Park and other local parks, or on public lands in the region including Mount Charleston, Lake Mead and Red Rock Canyon. Officials said any fireworks purchased from vendors located outside Clark County are likely to be illegal, including those purchased from vendors in Pahrump, Amargosa Valley and the Moapa Band of Paiutes.
“All fireworks, including those labeled `safe and sane’ can cause injuries or start fires, and require close adult supervision,” said Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck. “Illegal fireworks are especially dangerous in our dry, desert climate and we ask people not to buy them and use them in Clark County. We encourage people to enjoy some of the licensed, professional fireworks shows that will be held over the Fourth of July holiday if they want to see a big display.”
“Safe and sane” fireworks include sparklers and fireworks that keep to a small, circular area on the ground and don’t explode in the air. Illegal fireworks include firecrackers, Roman candles and sky rockets – any item made of highly combustible materials. Anyone caught using illegal fireworks may face citations and fines as part of the “You Light It, We Write It” campaign, www.YouLightItWeWriteIt.Vegas. Partners in the “You Light It, We Write It” effort include Clark County, area cities, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Nevada Highway Patrol. Offenders caught using illegal fireworks in Clark County and the city of Las Vegas are subject to fines of $250 to $1,000 and disposal fees. Fire inspectors from both jurisdictions will team up with Metro police officers again this year over the July Fourth holiday to crack down on the use and possession of illegal fireworks in local neighborhoods.
As part of the “You Light It, We Write It” effort, The public also is asked to report usage complaints about illegal fireworks online at www.ISpyFireworks.com instead of calling 911. Reports to the ISpy website do not result in a police dispatch. Instead, the data is used to document problem areas and plan future law enforcement efforts. Officials remind the public that 911 should only be used to report life-threatening police, fire and medical emergencies. The public may call 311, the police non-emergency number, to report illegal fireworks usage complaints but callers are asked to exercise patience, especially on busy nights like the Fourth of July, when dispatchers must prioritize emergency responses. In 2020 the ISpy site logged 27,194 complaints from June 28 through July 5, including 17,332 on July 4.
“Metro uses the data from previous year’s reporting on the ISpy site to strategically map out our enforcement plans in collaboration with city and county officials,” said Assistant Sheriff Brett Zimmerman. “The Fourth of July is one of the busiest nights of the year in Las Vegas, we encourage people to report illegal fireworks online and leave 911 open for police and fire emergencies.”
Officials say the best way to ensure that fireworks aren’t illegal is to buy them from local vendors authorized to sell “safe and sane” fireworks during the permitted, seven-day sales period that beings June 28. Fireworks sold at TNT or Phantom Fireworks booths this season have been tested and approved in the local jurisdictions, and the booths are inspected over the holiday for compliance.
The public also is encouraged to enjoy professionally licensed fireworks shows that are scheduled to be held over the Fourth of July holiday in the Las Vegas Valley. A listing of shows approved by Clark County’s Building and Fire Prevention Department is posted on the “You Light It, We Write It” campaign website. The largest New Year’s Eve-style spectacular, “Live in Vegas,” is being presented by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Fireworks by Grucci to welcome back visitors to Las Vegas and the return to pre-pandemic guidelines. The show is scheduled to be launched at 11 p.m. on Sunday, July 4, from the rooftops of six resorts along the Las Vegas Strip in unincorporated Clark County – ARIA, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Resorts World, Treasure Island and The Venetian – and one just north of the Strip in the city of Las Vegas at the STRAT Hotel Casino.
Residents can find “You Light It, We Write It” flyers, TV PSAs and other campaign materials in English and Spanish on the website as well. One PSA features interviews with local residents, including a 1 October survivor, affected by the sudden and unexpected noise from illegal fireworks. Another PSA, produced with assistance from The Animal Foundation, highlights the impact that the use of illegal fireworks has on pets. The shelter’s population typically increases by hundreds of pets over the Fourth of July holiday because of fear and anxiety caused by the noise. Most of the lost pets are never reclaimed. The website also lists safety tips for people planning to use safe and sane fireworks. Recommendations include:
- Be Courteous: Let your neighbors know ahead of time if you plan to celebrate with fireworks so the noise doesn’t surprise them. Clean up litter left behind by fireworks.
- Be prepared in case of fire. Have a pre-connected garden hose handy.
- Use fireworks on flat, hard surfaces such as parking lots and cul-de-sacs away from buildings, vehicles, dry brush and bystanders. Place discharged fireworks into a bucket of water overnight to make certain they do not re-ignite.
- Closely supervise children and pets; maintaining a distance away from the fireworks that are being ignited minimizes the possibility of injury. Do not let children ignite fireworks.
- Beware of sparklers. These can be popular items to give young children, but they can cause clothes to catch fire and serious burns.
- Coordinate lighting the items so that everyone in the group anticipates when they will be set off and won’t be surprised.
