All but one person asked Eugene City Council to reconsider a citywide firework ban during a public hearing Monday night, though one official said written feedback has offered support for the move.

Councilors are considering a ban on fireworks — even legal ones like fountains, flitter sparklers, ground spinner and wheels — within city limits, citing fire danger, climate change and the wellbeing of people and animals. The ordinance builds on a ban in the areas south of 18th Avenue and east of Agate Street that's set to expire at the end of the year.

The ban would not apply to professional fireworks shows, but those would be limited to July 3, 4 and 5 unless otherwise authorized by the city.

People who sell fireworks, mostly as fundraisers for nonprofit groups, said while they understand concerns about fire danger, banning fireworks isn’t the answer.

Aaron Taylor, the lead pastor at Crossfire World Outreach Ministries, said he’s raised millions for nonprofit organizations selling fireworks over more than three decades and funds from fireworks sales helped feed 19,000 people last year.

“We’ve never had a fire started from any of our fireworks,” he claimed. “Families celebrate in the middle of the cul-de-sac. Nothing’s going to get set on fire there.”

Eugene officials passed a partial ban in the South Hills area, which a 2014 analysis identified as a “very high” fire hazard area, in June 2021. That ordinance is set to expire at the end of the year.

Since 2012, fireworks have been reported to have caused 11 fires in the South Hills. Three of those fires took place in 2021.

Thomas Newman was the sole person to testify in favor of the ban during the public hearing.

“I don’t think everything should be about economics when it comes to fireworks,” Newman said. “They’re not a necessity.”

People could enjoy them at fireworks displays, Newman said, or maybe in a designated area. Newman added those testifying against a ban seem to have a conflict of interest between "their business and the overall health and wellbeing" of the community.

Taylor and others are happy to help with safety campaigns, he said, and they have in the past.

Jason Trout, regional manager for TNT Fireworks, added the industry has compromised by reducing where and how often they sell and when use is allowed.

Trout and others in the industry also helped Eugene develop the Fireworks Alert app, he said, so the city can use it to go after illegal fireworks, which he and others have argued are the real problem.

“Our items don’t leave the ground,” Trout said. “And the ones that leave the ground are the ones that cause the fires in Eugene.”

Banning all fireworks, he said, will “force people who want to celebrate the Fourth of July to go out and buy illegal fireworks.”

ResidentAnthony Hopper echoed that sentiment, saying that if the city bans fireworks, he wouldn’t be buying sparklers to celebrate.

“I’m going to make it blow up because I want to make sure if I get caught, I’m going to get my money’s worth on my jail sentence,” Hopper said.

Councilor Claire Syrett thanked Taylor, Trout, Hopper and others who testified in person and virtually during the public hearing for their “very important perspective.”

Officials rely on public hearings, emails, phone calls and other interactions with citizens to get input on potential changes to city rules before they vote, she said.

While comments on Monday were nearly all against the ban, Syrett said, officials have “gotten some emails from folks who have a different perspective.”

At least one councilor agrees that a ban may not solve the real problem.

Councilor Greg Evans said he’s bought fireworks at a number of the tents Taylor and his team set up for fireworks sales, and those legal fireworks aren’t the issue. Instead, he said, the problem is illegal fireworks coming across the border from Washington.

Evans added fireworks bans are “virtually unenforceable,” and people are going to use them anyway.

“We don’t have the police power. We don’t have the manpower,” he said. “The fire department isn’t going to go arrest people or give out tickets.”

Evans suggested looking at ordinances from other cities and work with people who have sold fireworks in the community to try and find a middle ground.

Mayor Lucy Vinis said officials have looked at ordinances from other communities and can take another look. She stressed the conversation about the potential ban isn’t over.

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Lane County already bans the manufacture, sale and use of fireworks in areas outside city limits when the state forester declares fire season for the forestry districts that cover portions of the county.

The forester declared all Oregon Department of Forestry districts are in fire season as of July 11 and reminded people last week that fire season is still in effect even as the weather starts to transition to fall.

East wind events like the one that led the Cedar Creek Fire to explode in size are "very common around this time of year," said Mike Shaw, fire protection division chief for the forestry department.

"There is still potential for more fire starts and the season isn’t over yet,” Shaw said in a statement. "We are prepared for new fire starts; however, the less human caused fires we have, the less strained our resources will be."

According to the city’s tentative working agenda, the council could vote whether to implement a ban during its next regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26.  

There’s a public forum, when people can give feedback on any topic, during that meeting.

Contact city government watchdog Megan Banta at mbanta@registerguard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1.