Citizens Cannot Set Off Fireworks

Cities Issue Executive Orders

The night skies may light up with professional fireworks displays to celebrate Independence but when it comes to family fun in the backyard or the front driveway, fireworks are out.

City officials with Lincoln, Prairie Grove and Farmington have issued burn bans for their respective towns, which means that citizens cannot burn outside and are prohibited from shooting off fireworks. This ban also applies to all in unincorporated Washington County because of a burn ban issued

“I hate to do it but I don’t have a choice, I have to protect the citizens of Lincoln.”

Rob Hulse

Lincoln Mayor

by County Judge Marilyn Edwards.

Area mayors issued their own advisories banning fireworks inside city limits.

“I hate to do it but I don’t have a choice, I have to protect the citizens of Lincoln,” said Lincoln Mayor Rob Hulse. “I was forced to

take drastic measures due to the dry conditions.”

Hulse issued a citywide burn ban in concert with the Washington County burn ban issued by County Judge Marilyn Edwards and in consultation with Fire Administrator Jay Norton, according to a news release.

Hulse issued the advisory on June 27 effective immediately.

“I’ve been here for about 30 years and I don’t remember there ever being a burn ban on July 4th,” Hulse said.

Lack of precipitation and extremely high temperatures have caused vegetation throughout the area to become highly combustible. Outdoor burning of any type, including use of fireworks is prohibited, stated the release. The burn ban in Lincoln will be lifted only when weather and moisture conditions permit.

“We decided to pull the trigger,” Prairie Grove Mayor Sonny Hudson said Thursday. “It's easier to go ahead and do this and then undo if God decides to give us any rain. According to the weather man, we're not going to get any.”

Hudson said citizens still can grill out to celebrate the holiday as long as people use a contained, proper grill.

“We're not going to stop people from cooking steaks,” he said.

Hudson issued an executive order Thursday that said the burn ban was effective immediately.

“Lack of precipitation and extremely high temperatures have caused vegetation throughout the area to become highly combustible,” the news release says. “Outdoor burning of any type, including the use of fireworks, is prohibited.”

The burn ban will lifted only when weather and moisture conditions permit, Hudson said.

The city of Farmington issued its own burn ban Wednesday in a public safety notice sent out by email. The notice says that the city will be under a burn ban until further notice.

Farmington Fire Chief Mark Cunningham asked everyone to use common sense during the dry, hot conditions.

“If you do burn something and burn your neighbor's property, you'll be liable for everything you burn,” Cunningham said Friday. “Is it worth it to shoot off a little fireworks?”

Cunningham encouraged residents to watch out for their neighbors and to check on the elderly.

“We could be in for a long drought,” he said.

According to state law, a person who violates a burn ban can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,500 and up to a year in prison.