Police remind residents of fireworks restrictions

GENTRY — With the July 4th holiday coming up and fireworks going on sale in the area, Gentry Police Chief Keith Smith reminds residents of city law regarding the possession and use of fireworks within Gentry’s corporate city limits.

In general, city ordinance permits the use of fireworks from the hours of 8 a.m. to 12 midnight on July 4th — fireworks may not be ignited on any other days. No airborne fireworks are allowed at any time within the city. Trash from fireworks is to be picked up immediately. And if a burn ban is in place, all fireworks are prohibited.

Gentry City Code regarding fireworks is reprinted below. To avoid the possibility of being cited for a violation or causing injury, death or property damage, please review the following:

Sec. 58-6. Sale of fireworks within city limits

(a) Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful for any person to possess, store, offer for sale, sell at retail, set off, ignite or otherwise explode any firecrackers or other fireworks by whatever name called within the city limits; provided that the use of fireworks for public display shall be exempt from the restrictions herein upon the certification of the fire chief that the display does not pose a fire danger or would be disruptive of the public peace and tranquility.

(b) Permissible items of fireworks, defined in A.C.A. § 20-22-708 may be sold at retail from June 20 through July 10 of each year. Any seller of such fireworks shall first obtain a privilege license from the city.

(c) Roman candles, rockets, helicopter type rockets, bottle rockets or other airborne fireworks of any nature shall not be discharged within the city limits. Other nonairborne fireworks may be discharged on private property within the city limits of the city between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 midnight on the Fourth of July.

(d) The discharge of such fireworks shall not occur in the event a burn ban is in effect in the county on the Fourth of July. Nor shall such fireworks be discharged upon any street, road, alley, parking lot or other public property; within any park; nor within 600 feet of any church, public school or establishment at which gasoline is sold; nor within 200 feet of where fireworks are stored, sold or offered for sale.

(e) No person shall ignite or discharge any permissible articles of fireworks within, or throw the fireworks from a motor vehicle while therein, nor shall any person place or throw any ignited article of fireworks into or at a motor vehicle or at or near any person or group of people. (Ord. No. 03-516, §§ 1-5, 6-1-03)