City could look at banning fireworks
Published 11:54 am Thursday, October 2, 2008
NORTH BEND – The North Bend City Council won’t be banning fireworks this Fourth of July, but could take an in-depth look at the issue next year.
North Bend City Councilman Bill Wittress said that at a recent Public Health and Safety Committee meeting, of which he served as chairman, the issue of possibly creating an ordinance banning fireworks in the city was discussed. Wittress said the group decided to explore the issue next year, but could create a resolution to present to council that would urge residents to voluntarily not use fireworks during the holiday.
Eastside Fire and Rescue, the fire-fighting consortium that serves Carnation, Issaquah, North Bend, Sammamish, Preston, May Valley, Tiger Mountain and Wilderness Rim, is urging cites on the Eastside to ban the use of fireworks if they have not yet done so.
Councilman Wittress said with the city prone to a wildfire, he’d like to see the fireworks eventually banned.
Last year a Carnation fire started by ground fireworks scorched 30 acres and threatened more than 200 homes on Aug. 21. Fireworks were banned in that city in 2002.
The North Bend Municipal Code allows for fireworks to be sold from noon on June 28 until 11 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks can be discharged from 9 a.m.-midnight on July 4.
