JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — With more Colorado counties implementing fire restrictions and personal firework bans as a result, law enforcement warns, ignoring the rules could cost you.
As of Thursday, unincorporated Jefferson County is under stage 2 fire restrictions, making one of the most popular parts of Fourth of July illegal.
“Even sparklers, are illegal, no fireworks whatsoever. And the Board of County Commissioners in Jefferson County two days ago voted to ban the sale of fireworks in unincorporated Jefferson County as well,” Director of Public Affairs for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Mark Techmeyer said.
- Hear Techmeyer's conversation with Denver7's Lauren Lennon, in the video player below.
Techmeyer said enforcement of these rules will be “aggressive.” People who disobey the fire restrictions face anything from confiscation of their fireworks to up to a $600 fine.
“We've got to take care of one another. This is an unprecedented fire risk environment that we're currently in, not just in Jefferson County, but statewide.,” Techmeyer said.
Professional firework shows are still allowed, though.
As of now, the ‘Red, White, and You’ fireworks show in Littleton’s Clement Park is still on.
When Denver7 asked Techmeyer what the message is for people who may be confused why professional fireworks are still allowed under the restrictions, but not personal use, Techmeyer said fireworks need to be left to the professionals.
“Number one, they know what they're doing, they're the professionals, they do this for a living, versus any of us that just go to a firework stand and get some bottle rockets and start setting them off in the street in front of our house, they end up everywhere,” he added.
The website for Friday night’s show in Littleton does note the firework show is dependent on weather and the fire ban.
Fire officials will be on scene, including West Metro and South Metro Fire Rescues.
“Anything you can do to not be setting a spark somewhere that it shouldn't be, use common sense, take care of one another, follow the law, no fireworks at all, and we'll get through this Fourth of July safe and sound,” Techmeyer said.
Several counties have ways of reporting fireworks to officials. In Jefferson County, you can use the JeffCom911 app, report them online or call their fireworks hotline at 303-980-7340, which will be staffed from 7 p.m. – 1a.m. every day through the holiday weekend.
A list of firework shows and celebrations across Colorado this holiday weekend can be found here.
