Survey splits West Richland on fireworks; fire chief warns mutual-aid strain ahead of Fourth of July

West Richland’s community survey and council workshop revealed a roughly even split among residents over fireworks rules and prompted public-safety warnings from the county fire chief.

“About half the population is happy and half are not,” staff said after presenting survey results from roughly 1,544 respondents. The survey showed a strong set of concerns for fireworks tied to fire risk, late-night noise, litter and illegal or unsafe use; respondents also expressed frustration with enforcement. The survey was the single topic that produced the largest volume of free-text comments.

Mayor Prom Bloom opened discussion by noting the statutory and timing implications of ordinance changes, and he asked council to schedule a dedicated workshop to develop options. The council set a May 12 follow-up workshop to consider specific ordinance changes and outreach strategies.

Benton County Fire District 4 Chief Paul Carile told council the region’s automatic- and mutual-aid system was strained by last year’s Fourth of July fires and that neighboring agencies have warned they may not be able to provide the same level of mutual aid this year. “They are not going to give us as many units over the 4th of July anymore,” Chief Carile said, describing incidents that required multiple outside units and noting the effect on EMS and wildland response capacity.

Council and staff discussed a menu of policy options that would not all require the same legal process or the same lead time: - Reiterate and enforce existing state prohibitions (for example, obstructing emergency vehicles and reckless discharge) and add fireworks explicitly to local litter or projectile statutes; staff noted these are enforceable immediately under current law. - Limit days of sale and days of discharge (staff noted Department of Revenue timing applies to sales-tax changes; days-of-sale or vendor-count rules may be enacted locally but enforcement can be resource-intensive). - Restrict the number or location of temporary vendor stands; last year’s 16 stands were cited as an operational reference. - Require permits or documented property-owner permission for residential discharge (some cities have used permit regimes to control where and when residential fireworks are set off). - Require vendors to hand out safety flyers and post signage noting where aerial fireworks are illegal in neighboring jurisdictions to reduce cross-boundary purchases and inform buyers.

Chief Carile urged the council to define “reckless discharge” in ordinance language (examples given: launching aerials without secure bracing, firing under trees or power lines, discharging toward people or animals) and to use confiscation and misdemeanor penalties where appropriate. He also recommended signage at sales sites and vendor-distributed handouts explaining safe use and local limits.

Council members and staff acknowledged the policy trade-offs: bans or stricter local restrictions can push buyers to neighboring jurisdictions, enforcement is resource-intensive during the holiday, and practical impact may depend on regional coordination. Given the split in public views and the fire department’s warning about reduced mutual aid capacity, council scheduled the May 12 workshop to develop ordinance language, enforcement expectations and an education campaign ahead of the 2027 season.

What’s next: staff and public safety officials will return to council on May 12 with legal analysis, draft ordinance language and enforcement options to guide any council action.