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El Paso County bans rockets-with-sticks, missile-with-fins sales for July 4 period amid drought concerns
Summary
The El Paso County Commissioners Court on June 9 adopted an order banning sales of rockets with sticks and missiles with fins for the June 24–July 4 sales window, citing drought risk (KBDI) and public-safety concerns. Vendors promised extra cleanup and self-policing; two commissioners voted no.
The El Paso County Commissioners Court voted June 9 to ban sales of fireworks described in the order as "rockets with sticks" and "missiles with fins" during the annual sales period that runs June 24 through midnight July 4.
Court members said the decision responded to high wildfire risk, measured locally by the Keetch‑Byram Drought Index (KBDI), and to public‑safety concerns raised by law enforcement and county staff.
The order follows briefing from county staff showing the countywide KBDI well above the 575 threshold cited in state guidance; staff reported the KBDI at about 710 on the morning of the briefing. County staff also flagged drought and U.S. Drought Monitor ratings showing large portions of the county in extreme to exceptional drought. The court adopted a prepared order that restricts only the types of fireworks listed in the order; other consumer fireworks sales and use remain governed by state law and local rules.
County staff member Lisa, who led the briefing, said the local government code authorizes the county to adopt such restrictions before the sales period begins and noted the court had until June 15 to act under the code. She recommended adopting the draft order because the KBDI threshold had been exceeded.
Vendors and community partners addressed the court before the vote. Fernando Villamontes, identified as a TNT Fireworks vendor, described industry efforts to reduce risk and to improve cleanup and volunteer coordination. Villamontes said vendors had been cooperating with county emergency services and that vendors would continue to push safety messages, supply roll‑off containers, and coordinate volunteer cleanup crews at problem sites such as Red Sands. He urged the court to publish a clear rule, which vendors said they would circulate to other sellers.
Commissioner Justin Butler (first reference: Commissioner Justin Butler) and other commissioners discussed the trade‑offs between safety and fundraising income for many local school and nonprofit groups that rely on fireworks stands. Butler and Commissioner David Stout (first reference: Commissioner David Stout) said they were concerned that a limited ban would not fully address hazards in some unincorporated areas (Montana Vista and Red Sands were discussed by name) and asked whether a broader ban was possible. Butler also noted impacts on animals and veterans with PTSD. Stout asked staff about cleanup plans and vendor commitments; vendors and staff described deposit/cleanup programs and volunteer pickup plans.
Judge Ricardo Samaniego moved to adopt the order; Commissioner Tony Olguin seconded the motion. The motion passed. The clerk recorded two negative votes: Commissioner Butler and Commissioner Stout voted no. The court gave staff and vendors direction to continue coordinating public‑education and cleanup work with emergency-services districts.
What the action means and what remains unsettled
- The court's order bans only rockets with sticks and missiles with fins for the specified sales period; sellers of other legal consumer fireworks may continue under state law and local restrictions. The county's legal backup cites the local government code as the authority for the targeted restrictions and references the KBDI 575 threshold as a local‑action trigger. - County staff and vendors said they would coordinate extra cleanup crews, roll‑off containers, and public safety messaging; vendors said many of their sellers are charitable groups and coaches who use fireworks sales for fundraising. Vendors also described voluntarily pulling locations in neighboring jurisdictions when wildfire risk was high in prior years. - Several commissioners raised concern that the targeted ban may not fully address injuries, litter, animal and veteran impacts, and emergency‑service response limitations in remote unincorporated areas; the court did not adopt a complete fireworks ban.
The court recorded the motion and votes as an official action and directed staff to publish the executive order and to continue outreach with vendors, emergency services and community groups ahead of the June 24 sales start.
