Beginning Sunday, discharging fireworks will be legal in Utah again, but only in limited areas throughout Tooele County.
Fireworks can be legally discharged from July 22 to July 25 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the hours extended to midnight on Pioneer Day. Fire restrictions will constrict the area where they can lawfully be used, however.
A fire restriction order, approved July 6, prohibits fireworks from being discharged on all unincorporated private and state land in Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis, Morgan and Utah counties.
Due to the restrictions, residents in Lake Point, Stansbury Park, Erda and South Rim will not be allowed to discharge fireworks for Pioneer Day celebrations. Violating the fire restriction order is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
In Tooele County, fireworks are prohibited on any federal and tribal land, including Bureau of Land Management, military and U.S. Forest Service property.
Incorporated cities and towns in Tooele County have specific restrictions, which limit the areas where fireworks can be discharged. The Town of Stockton announced a ban on all fireworks on June 29 for the rest of the year due to extreme fire weather conditions.
Rush Valley permits fireworks in the parking lot shared by Town Hall and the fire department, and Vernon designated the fire department parking lot as the area where fireworks can be used.
Grantsville City has three designated areas for fireworks, including two parks in housing subdivisions. The main area permitted for fireworks is bordered by West Street to the west, Durfee Street to the south, Clark Street to the north and Matthews Lane to the east.
Fireworks will also be allowed in the homeowners association parks in the Anderson Ranch and South Willow Estates subdivisions.
In Tooele City, fireworks are permitted in much of the downtown area. The borders for the firework approved area roughly follows 1000 West to the west and Droubay Road to the east.
The southern border of the firework area follows state Route 36, then Skyline Drive. The northern border is 2000 North west of SR-36, and approximately 1530 North until about 520 East, then to approximately 1480 North to Droubay Road.
Fireworks are only allowed in Elton and Dow James parks, but garbage cans were melted and firework debris was left in other city parks, according to Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn. She reminded residents to take care of public property on July 24.
A total of five fires were caused by fireworks on July 4 and all of them occurred within Tooele City limits, according to Tooele County Fire Warden Dan Walton.
Maps for fireworks restrictions are available on the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office website, tooelecountysheriff.org, on the Fire Warden page. Wendover City has no restrictions on firework use within its municipal borders, according to Walton.
If anyone using fireworks causes or spreads a fire negligently, recklessly or intentionally, they are liable for the cost of fire suppression and any damages caused, according to state law.