East SLC News

SALT LAKE CITY KUTV — Across the Wasatch Front, cities are preparing to celebrate the Fourth of July. But with the ever-present threat of wildfire, will cities shoot off fireworks this year?

Salt Lake City traded their fireworks for a laser show in 2022 because of the fire danger.

They’re keeping the laser show for this year's celebration.

In Sandy, officials told 2News they plan to do a traditional fireworks show, just like they did last year.

Related wildfire stories from 2News

• Utah officials worried about wildfire season thanks to grass growth from record snowpack
• Groundbreaking held for new Utah wildfire operations center in South Salt Lake
• Utah wildfire experts warn of risks ahead of upcoming fire season
• Record-setting winter, wet spring making way for hot, dry weather conditions ripe for wildfires

They also said that they’re already taking some wildfire safety measures around the city.

The Sandy City Parks Department has been mowing what they called “fire breaks” along property lines that border the city’s parks, keeping the grass and weeds down in case of a fire started by fireworks.

“It will reduce that spread of fire, the timeframe that a fire can spread, allowing our resources to deploy and extinguish those fires quicker,” Sandy City Fire Chief Jeff Bassett said.

While some cities, like Salt Lake, are picking lasers over fireworks, the Sandy Fire Department said they are prepared to deal with the fire threat.

“One of the reasons we can manage that is because we bring on extra staffing for that night — it’s in a controlled area, not a restricted zone,” Bassett said.

Cottonwood Heights resident Susan Wismer told 2News she wasn’t surprised to see all these signs around the cit. She said she witnessed a fire during a fireworks show a couple of years ago.

“I know that it’s dry, but I was a little surprised that it’s not allowed in so many places, because I thought we’d had enough moisture,” Wismer said.

However, it’s quite the opposite — Bassett said the amount of snow and rain this year is causing more growth, resulting in an increased fire risk.

“We do have a more cheat grass than I think we have had before, and it is drying out very quickly, so we are going to have probably a little bit more of a hazard this year,” Bassett said.

If you are unsure where fireworks are legal, you can check the map on the Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office Website.

Original source can be found here.