VIDEO: Fireworks banned in unincorporated King County

KING COUNTY, Wash. — The Fourth of July should look a little different this year for unincorporated King County. A ban on the use and sale of commercial fireworks is going into effect. Not only does this include aerial fireworks, but also sparklers and smoke bombs.

“We have an obligation to provide the same protection for unincorporated (King County) that cities across the county already provide,” said King County Councilmember, Joe McDermott.

McDermott proposed the ban. He says because most of King County has longstanding firework displays in place, it made unincorporated areas a hot spot on the Fourth. McDermott says it came at the expense of residents, particularly in White Center.

“Veterans who have PTSD from their service live in fear that day. Pet owners are concerned about their pets,” said McDermott. “People will be with hoses keeping their lawn and their roofs wet to protect from fireworks. It has really felt like a bombardment in White Center.”

Councilmember Giray Zahilay echoes his concern.

“Our fire departments prepare for the Fourth of July as if they were preparing for an extreme natural disaster,” Zahilay said. “People’s homes burn down. People blow off limbs. There are fatalities.”

A Fourth of July fatality is what prompted the new firework ban. In 2019, veteran Roland Kennedy was killed after fireworks set his and his neighbor’s homes on fire. That fire also killed his two dogs and left 13 people without homes.

The council passed the ban last April, but wanted to give business owners enough notice before it went into effect. Last year there were about 20 firework stands in unincorporated King County.

Zahilay says he was initially opposed to the legislation.

“I personally felt and I also heard concerns from constituents how this would be enforced, about overpolicing in certain communities, how the fines and fees will impact low-income communities.”

But he says in the end, his concerns over safety won out.

“Those are all valid concerns. But how do you weigh that against the toll on public safety?,” Zahilay asked.

Skyway Fire Chief, Eric Hicks believes the ban will be a positive thing for the community, as well as his department. He notes that his department responds to four times as many calls on the Fourth of July as compared to other summer days. He acknowledges that getting residents to comply, may take some time.

“People are going to do what they’re going to do. Some are going to light it off and they’re going to face the consequences,” Hicks said.

Since this is the first year of the ban, King County says their emphasis will be on educating the community, not on issuing citations. However, next summer, law enforcement will begin issuing citations and fines to anyone who violates the ban.

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