A Call For ‘Fireworks Etiquette” This 4th of July in Grand Junction

Fireworks violators, by state law, could face a fine of $750 and/or up to 6 months of jail time. How strictly the law is enforced remains to be seen. The use of illegal fireworks in recent years has been so widespread that enforcement seems an impossible task.

The most important thing for people to keep in mind is safety --whether the fireworks you are shooting off are legal or not. Though we are not in a fire ban presently, there is an inherent fire danger when it comes to fireworks, and people still need to be careful.

The second thing people should remember is to have consideration for your neighbors. While most people can appreciate the celebration of Independence Day, their appreciation is going to be a lot less the later it gets. Setting off fireworks before 11:00 pm seems reasonable, but ripping off pops and explosions at 1am are not. This is where I would hope our local law enforcement would step up - and at least try to put the whammies on fireworks that are happening late at night.

Most people like to sleep at night - and those that have pets who are traumatized by the fireworks can end up with some very rough and sleepless nights with fireworks going off at all hours.

Parents can help by passing this message to their kids - and law enforcement can help during the next couple of weeks by taking a few extra passes through residential areas during late night hours to help discourage the setting off of fireworks in middle of the night.