DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — As many Coloradans get ready to celebrate the Fourth of July, there’s some confusion in communities over the sale and use of fireworks.
A viewer emailed Denver7 about a man holding a "fireworks for sale" sign in Douglas County on the corner of Plum Creek Parkway and Wilcox Street in Castle Rock right next to another sign warning individual fireworks are not allowed within the county.
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The Denver7 viewer called it confusing and wanted to know why sales are still happening.
Douglas County is currently under Stage 2 fire restrictions, which only bans the use of fireworks, not the sale of them.
At a separate fireworks stand, the co-owner of Discount Fireworks in Highlands Ranch told Denver7, they can still legally sell fireworks to the public.
“Douglas County just went into fire restrictions earlier this week. They weren’t when we set up operations, but we still are allowed to sell in Douglas County when these restrictions are in place because this is the season in which we are able to do this,” Discount Fireworks Co-Owner Sean Switzer said.
Switzer told Denver7 his family has been in the business for decades and wants customers to celebrate safely and legally. He added the fireworks they sell are all safe and sane.
“Nothing explodes or ignites once airborne. Everything is ground-based. These are all legal in the State of Colorado when there are no fire restrictions which is why we are allowed to sell at this time,” Switzer said.
Switzer encourages everyone to take precautions and check the requirements and restrictions wherever you live.
“Whenever there are conditions like we are experiencing right now, it’s incredibly important to us that safety is top priority. We partner with South Metro Fire Rescue and their fire mitigation teams to give all these flyers to all of our customers. Our team is educated to inform them about checking city and county restrictions.” Switzer added.
Switzer also told Denver7 he informs people not only how to properly use their safe and sane fireworks, but also how to dispose of them.
“Always have a hose or a bucket of water that you soak your fireworks in when they are done. Don’t put them right into the trash can. That is actually a big way that fires are started from fireworks, not from them actually going off themselves,” Switzer said.
For Parker resident Margaret Brawley, she is aware of the current fire restrictions.
“In Parker, it’s pretty strict right now this year in terms of not having any fireworks at all,” Brawley added.
Brawley said those buying fireworks should make themselves well informed about how to responsibly use fireworks.
“It is up to each of us to be responsible and be aware of what the laws are and take the necessary protections. I’ve never been somebody that lets off the big ones into the sky. I think the shows are better for that,” Brawley added.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said people who buy fireworks right now have a couple of options. They can wait until the restrictions are lifted before using them or they can use them in area where restrictions aren’t in place.
Discount Fireworks told Denver7 they support those rules and want people to stay informed, so everyone has a safe Fourth of July.
The sheriff’s office said anyone who violates the fire restrictions could face fines, and if fireworks cause property damage, criminal charges are possible.
Denver7's South Metro Reporter Danielle Kreutter also met families curious about why Littleton was allowing firework sales when it's not legal to light them off.
"Think about the people who are putting their lives on the line, the people who have died fighting the fires, and I feel like it's kind of disrespectful to them to still be setting off these fireworks, especially when we have active fires burning in Colorado," Teresa Crites said, particularly of the type of fireworks that leave the ground.
A few years ago one of the embers from an illegal firework caught her neighbor's home on fire.
"All it takes is one little piece landing in the wrong place of your house, and they were some of the luckier ones. Only a part of their house caught fire," she said.
Denver7 reached out to Littleton who released a statement saying:
"The City of Littleton allows the sale of fireworks that are permissible under state law. While the city is under a Stage 2 fire ban, which prohibits the use of fireworks, the ban does not cover the sale of legal fireworks. Residents are encouraged to practice fire safety under the current hot and dry conditions."
Crites hopes that one day communities change their stance on allowing the sale of fireworks during extremely dry and dangerous conditions.
"I think we can move away from fire when it's dangerous. I don't know, there's so many options out there. I think people are just focusing on fireworks because they're that's what they're used to,"she said.
