Alamogordo commission adopts temporary ban on sale and use of fireworks through July amid drought

The Alamogordo City Commission voted 4-3 on May 27 to adopt Resolution 2025-15, restricting the sale and use of fireworks in the city through July 31, 2025, citing extreme dry conditions and recent fires in nearby jurisdictions.

The restriction was driven by briefings from Fire Chief Ramirez and staff about recent wildland fires in the region and the current drought. Fire Chief Ramirez said nearby fires burned “almost 250 acres plus” and warned the city could face “a devastating fire that turns from a brush fire into a wildland fire and just devastates the area.” He told commissioners the restriction could be lifted if meaningful moisture arrives: “If we get a lot of rain, the chief can lift it at any time.”

The measure largely mirrors a county ban that commissioners said the county adopted weeks earlier. City Manager Dr. Stephanie Hernandez told the commission the city is following the county’s approach and staff are planning alternatives for the July 4th celebration; she said the city has contracted a drone show in place of a city-sponsored fireworks display.

Commissioners debated enforcement and local tradition. Commissioner Warren Robinson, who moved approval, and Mayor Pro Tem Sharon McDonald, who seconded, argued the prohibition stayed within the chief’s authority and could be lifted if conditions improved. Several commissioners warned the ban could be difficult to enforce because people buy fireworks outside the city and use them within city limits; one commissioner described an earlier year when fireworks were widespread despite a ban and called the measure “almost unenforceable.” Another commissioner said aerial fireworks already are illegal per city ordinance when they exceed 10 feet in height.

The resolution bans retail sale and use of fireworks defined in the city’s ordinance and authorizes the chief to lift the restriction if rainfall or moisture conditions warrant. City staff and the fire department said ground-level sparklers and similar devices remain subject to the ordinance’s limitations and must be used in paved, debris‑free areas.

The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Warren Robinson and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Sharon McDonald; the commission recorded the motion as passing 4-3.

Commissioners asked staff to publicize the restriction and enforcement expectations on social media. Chief Ramirez said the department would continue patrols and rely on Police Department assistance when reports of illegal fireworks are received.

The commission’s action is temporary; staff said the chief may rescind the restriction before the July 31 date if the area receives significant precipitation.