Fire restrictions have been issued banning the use of certain fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County including parts of Edgewood.
A resolution was passed by the Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners on June 11 to proclaim extreme or severe drought conditions and ban the sale and use of certain fireworks for 30 days. The resolution may be reissued after a 30-day period if drought conditions continue. The resolution may also be modified or rescinded before July 4 if county commissioners determine weather conditions have improved.
According to the resolution, missile-type rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners, stick-type rockets (bottle rockets) and ground audible devices (firecrackers) are banned within the affected drought area, which includes all unincorporated portions of Santa Fe County. The sale or use of display fireworks is also prohibited within the unincorporated areas.
The use of all fireworks is banned in Santa Fe County’s wildland areas — property owned by the county designated for public recreational purposes.
The resolution says that drought indices published by the National Integrated Drought Information System and the U.S. Forest Service indicate extreme or severe drought conditions within Santa Fe County. These conditions include immediate danger of brush, grass and forest fires as well as potential damage to homes or other structures.
Communications Manager for Santa Fe County Olivia Romo said, “This is an opportunity for us to work with the public and for them to also take some responsibility in making sure they’re not lighting legal fireworks, but also putting their properties or their neighbor’s properties at risk by engaging in fireworks when it’s so dry and there’s so much brittle vegetation out there because of the unprecedented drought.”
The following fireworks are still allowed this year, outside of wildland areas, in areas that are paved, barren or have access to a water source:
- Ground and hand-held sparkling devices.
- Cone fountains.
- Crackling devices.
- Cylindrical fountains.
- Flitter sparklers.
- Ground spinners.
- Illuminating torches.
- Wheels (spinning firework attached to post).
Moriarty, which is a popular destination for fireworks purchases, has no firework restrictions other than what the state may put in place, according to the Moriarty Fire Department. In neighboring Bernalillo County, aerial and ground audible fireworks are prohibited.
As part of the Edgewood 25th anniversary celebration, a Fourth of July fireworks display is planned at Venus Park at 9:15 p.m.