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Wildfire, fire management and air quality news for western Montana and the Northern Rockies.

Officials Urge Caution With Fireworks During The Holiday

The National Weather Service forecast calls for a breezy and mostly dry July 4 weekend.
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service forecast calls for a breezy and mostly dry July 4 weekend.

As early wildfires spark up around the state, Montanans need to be extra careful celebrating this Fourth of July weekend.
With temperatures heating up, Missoula Fire Inspector Adam Sebastian says it’s crucial "to be aware of dried grasses. If you're in the county, if you're going to be using fireworks, to really be cognizant of where you're lighting them and where fallout is going to happen. Because we do have cured fuels. So we want to limit the amount of exposure when we're lighting fireworks."

Fireworks are illegal on all state and federal lands throughout Montana. Shooting fireworks is also prohibited within many city limits, including Missoula, Bozeman and Kalispell.

Residents are allowed to set off fireworks in some places in Butte, and on private land in Missoula, Ravalli, Flathead and Gallatin Counties.

"Where we generally steer people is towards the public displays that are put on by professionals."

Sebastian also stresses the need for personal safety during this holiday.

"Time and time again we find out that fireworks in the hands of just regular consumers is generally going to lead to burn injuries to the hands and to the eyes. Unfortunately lots of those injuries are going to happen to adolescents or little kids as well."

The National Weather Service forecast calls for a breezy and mostly dry July 4 weekend. Temperatures will be near normal with highs in the 80s for most western Montana and central Idaho valleys. A few light showers will be possible in the afternoons and evenings. Due to the breezy and mostly dry weather expected going into the Fourth, fire danger will be on the increase.

To make sure everyone has an incident-free holiday weekend, extra fire and law enforcement officers will be on patrol to enforce firework bans and offer fire prevention education.

Missoula also has a 24-hour fireworks hotline at (406) 258-4850 where residents can report complaints and violations.

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