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Residents urge tighter fireworks limits as commissioners cite fire marshal authority and community shows
Summary
Multiple Clallam County residents described animals and people harmed or traumatized by fireworks and urged bans or tighter restrictions; commissioners noted the fire marshal can cancel fireworks during high‑risk conditions and discussed encouraging large community shows to reduce private use.
A string of public commenters at the Clallam County Board of Commissioners’ April 28 meeting urged officials to restrict or ban consumer fireworks, citing injuries to animals, people with post‑traumatic stress and increased wildfire risk.
Kelly Saint Claire of Sequim read a series of testimonials from residents describing horses injured while running from fireworks, dogs so terrified they cower in showers and neighbors setting off explosives late into the night. "We can't leave our animals on July 4 and December 31," she read, enumerating instances of injured or traumatized animals.
Emma Amiat, a U.S. Army veteran, summarized fireworks rules in other counties and cities and argued Clallam County could follow jurisdictions that restrict or ban private fireworks in unincorporated areas for public‑safety reasons. "Other counties have had to deal with this issue for years, particularly with the increase in drought and the increase in fires," she said, urging the county to consider similar steps.
Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and noted several constraints. A commissioner explained the county’s fire marshal already has authority to cancel fireworks when fire danger is high and that past policy changes have limited fireworks to specific areas and times (noting current rules allow fireworks only on July 4 east of the Elwha River). That commissioner also said community fireworks or laser shows have been used elsewhere to reduce private use and associated problems.
No ordinance or formal change was proposed or voted on at the meeting; the board took public comment and described enforcement limits, the role of the fire marshal, and the tradeoffs in restricting fireworks where communities hold large, longstanding events.
