Illegal fireworks and explosives posters Set back and signage required List of SCEAF fireworks booths Legal and illegal requirements for fireworks stands Fireworks Guide Fireworks Guide Handling fireworks with caution Infographic reports Illegal pyrotechnic activities form Fireworks restrictions Selling and unloading times States with stricter laws on fireworks have data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that shows that thousands of people are injured by fireworks each year. with several deaths. In 2019, approximately 10,000 fireworks injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms. The number of deaths from fireworks this year was 12, according to the Commission. This page provides an overview of Washington State local government authority to regulate fireworks, including relevant state laws, permits, and licenses, the date and time fireworks can be sold or unloaded, emergency fireworks bans, and examples of local ordinances and advisory votes. Fireworks themselves are not illegal and in the week around July 4th they are easy to get. But it`s a good idea to know the rules of the road before taking a trip to the local pop-up tent and taking something explosive. Remember to check your city and county rules before turning on the fuse. Fireworks cause injuries and fires in Washington every year.
According to the Washington State Fire Marshal`s Office, there were 237 firecracker injuries in 2020. Massachusetts is the only state where fireworks are completely banned other than professional events, according to a May report by Reader`s Digest. Illinois, Ohio and Vermont have the next strictest laws in 2021, according to the report. Fireworks, bottle rockets, celestial rockets and rockets are illegal to sell, possess and/or unload, according to the Washington State Fire Marshal`s Office. Note that local jurisdictions may further restrict the sale and unloading of certain fireworks in their jurisdiction. There are license exceptions for the purchase and use of certain agricultural and wildlife fireworks by government agencies and for the purchase of consumer fireworks by religious or private organizations for „religious or specific purposes,“ subject to approval by the local fire department officer (RCW 70.77.311). Fireworks celebrations in America date back to 1777, when the first celebration was held on the 4th of July. Strangely, there were no red-white-blue fireworks to mark the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Fireworks at the time were only available in one color — orange — according to the Smithsonian Institution. These forms are used by hospital fire departments and emergency departments to report fires and fireworks injuries. These forms should be completed as soon as possible and sent by e-mail, fax or traditionally mail. If you get caught, your sentence (as in most criminal justice cases) depends on the crime.
Violating Washington`s fireworks laws results in a misdemeanor — whether it`s firing bottled rockets, illegally selling fireworks, or firing them at 3 a.m. However, you can be beaten with a number of other violations (for example, being too loud late at night), which can result in cumulative fees. State and federal laws prohibit items such as M-80s, M-100s, modified fireworks, and homemade devices because these devices are powerful and can cause devastating injuries. Cities and counties can, by ordinance, further restrict the days and times on which fireworks can be sold and unloaded, or even ban the sale and unloading of fireworks altogether, but local regulations cannot be less restrictive than state law. However, mistakes do happen and it`s easy to accidentally cross city limits and go from „completely legal“ to „completely forbidden“. All local fireworks ordinances that are more restrictive than state law may take effect no earlier than one year after they are passed. Some jurisdictions have issued ordinances that come into effect after the one-year legal waiting period in RCW 70.77.250(4) authorizing certain officials (such as the mayor, county council, sheriff, or fire marshal) to prohibit fireworks under emergency conditions such as high fire risk. To report fireworks being set off in a prohibited area, call the Snohomish County non-emergency number at 425-407-3999. The Washington State Fire Marshal`s Office has two documents that can help identify legal and illegal fireworks: See below for a summary of previous July Fourth fireworks: RELATED: Some July 4 fireworks will be replaced by drones due to fire concerns Below are selected examples of cities or counties, issued more restrictive orders than the state`s fireworks laws. including those that completely ban fireworks.
In Washington, the sale and shooting of fireworks is limited to certain hours around July 4 and New Year`s Eve. Legal fireworks in the state include Roman candles, cone fountains, sparklers, ground moths, rechargeable mortars, and cylindrical fountains. For a complete list of legal fireworks in Washington, click on this link. RCW 70.77.401 prohibits the sale or offer for sale of the following types of fireworks: There is no clear law on this issue, so local governments must assess the potential legal risks of an emergency response that restricts or prohibits the firing of fireworks.