Clark County hears hours of testimony urging retention of consumer fireworks; council asks staff for study

More than three dozen residents, nonprofit leaders and fireworks vendors told the Clark County Council on May 21 that consumer fireworks should remain legal and that any change to county rules would harm longstanding community traditions and nonprofit fundraisers.

The council heard repeated accounts that fireworks sales finance youth sports, veteran services, summer camps and international mission trips. Bruce Jolley, who described himself as the permit holder for the largest fireworks booth in the county, said the tents return “100%” of proceeds to local causes: “In the years that I've been at the big tent, I have given away more than $300,000 to our community.”

At the same time, several speakers urged the council to limit or prohibit aerial fireworks to reduce fire risk, noise and harm to veterans and people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Wendy Cleveland of the Sierra Club said county fire resources were stretched and urged legal limits on aerial fireworks and adoption of a “safe and sane only” rule. “Our fire department is stretched on a good day,” she told the council.

Why this matters: fireworks…