Fireworks: When and where to set them off this July

As of June 24, class “C” fireworks sales are legal again in Utah in preparation for the upcoming July holidays. 

The legal sales window for this season will end on Pioneer Day, July 24, but the timeframes sanctioned for the discharging of fireworks are much narrower. 

Both Independence Day and Pioneer Day will have a four-day window for setting off fireworks legally: July 2-5 for the former holiday and July 22-25 for the latter. Fireworks can be set off anytime between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. on those days with the exception of July 4 and July 24 when the window will be extended to midnight. 

There are also limits on where fireworks may be discharged, and they vary from city to city. In Provo, public parks are off-limits with the exception of the following: 

• Sertoma Park — 400 E 2400 N 
• Franklin — 807 W 600 S 
• Exchange Park — 900 N 700 W 
• Lakeview — 2825 W 1390 N 
• Fort Utah Park — 200 N Geneva Rd 
• Maeser — 451 E 600 S 
• Sunset View Park — 383 S 1600 W 
• Rotary — 1460 N 1500 W 
• Provost Park — 629 S 1000 E 
• Riverview — 4620 N 300 W 
• Kiwanis Park — 820 N 1100 E 
• Spring Creek — 1140 S State St 
• Carterville — 2400 N Carterville Rd

Any areas west of Timpview Drive, the north of Canyon Road, Seven Peaks Boulevard, Slate Canyon Drive and Slate Street are also prohibited due to their close proximity to the brush and shrubbery on Y Mountain.

According to Utah Code Section 53-7-225, the penalty for discharging fireworks outside of the permitted areas or dates is a $1,000 fine. Jeanie Atherton, a captain and PIO at Provo Fire and Rescue, added that is also a class-b misdemeanor. 

“We get a lot of people that come in from out of town that just don’t understand the rules,” Atherton said, “so we try to inform as much as we can, and then if we have issues with people, they will be cited.” 

With the characteristic dryness of northern Utah summers, it is especially important to be mindful of when setting off fireworks. Atherton mentioned that the risk for wildfire increases with every day Provo goes without rain, so keeping a substantial water source handy to extinguish any stray sparks is a smart way to stay safe while enjoying fireworks.

Jana-Lee Holland, PIO for Provo Police Department, explained the fire risk marked in yellow on the diagram above.

“With the strong spring that we had on the mountain, vegetation has grown a fair amount and has now dried out, increasing the risk of wildfire,” Holland said.

She said that the police department is very cautious about any fireworks set off on the east side of town, and will be strongly enforcing the no-firework zone there.

“Be safe aware of what you’re doing and where you’re doing it,” Atherton said, “and make sure that you’re following the parameters and guidelines.”