Residents urge ban on consumer fireworks during Level 1 burn ban ahead of Island County work session

Island County residents urged the Board of Island County Commissioners on Aug. 12 to add consumer fireworks to the list of prohibited uses during a Level 1 burn ban, citing wildfire risk and the potential need to protect lives and property.

The appeal came from Jackie Lassiter, who identified herself as a Freeland resident and member of Safe and Humane Fireworks. "Adding fireworks to a level 1 burn ban is not a political issue," Lassiter said, calling the measure a public-safety step to prevent "a wildfire that could result in the loss of lives, homes, livelihoods, and our critical environment ecosystems."

The request was echoed by Carlos Anderson, a 30-year Island County resident and former Island County Health Department environmental health specialist who said his background fighting wildfires and responding to hazardous materials informs his view. He said he supported Commissioner Bacon's forthcoming resolution to ban consumer fireworks during Level 1 burn bans and urged other commissioners to back it.

Why it matters: Commissioners plan to discuss the proposal in a work session the following day, and the sheriff's office is scheduled to participate in that discussion. If the board adopts an ordinance or resolution in a later meeting, it would change what activities are allowed during a Level 1 burn ban and could affect public safety, enforcement and nonprofit fundraisers that sell fireworks.

Details and viewpoints: Commissioner Johnson said the issue has become political and raised questions about consistency and proportionality in wildfire prevention rules. She asked why the county would single out fireworks when other ignition sources — cigarettes, lawnmowers and farm equipment — have sparked fires. Johnson also warned that nonprofits often pre-order fireworks for annual sales and that a ban tied to a burn-ban declaration could create financial obligations for those organizations: "A type 1 burn ban could go in effect July 3. They would have already started selling those fireworks," she said.

Commissioner Bacon, who introduced the proposed measure for discussion, and other commissioners deferred detailed remarks until the scheduled work session. No formal motion or vote on fireworks restrictions occurred at the Aug. 12 meeting.

Next steps: The board's work session on the proposal was scheduled for Aug. 13, where commissioners said they would hear from the sheriff and consider the broader implications for public safety and community organizations.

Ending note: Public comment at this meeting raised both public-safety and community-economic concerns, and the board set the matter for further deliberation rather than making an immediate decision.