City Council Unanimously Adopts Ban on Discharge and Sale of Consumer Fireworks
May 8, 2024 - At the May 7 regular meeting, the Mercer Island City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 24C-10 permanently prohibiting the sale and discharge of consumer fireworks beginning in 2025. The adoption of this ordinance follows recommendations from the City Manager, Fire Chief, and Police Chief.
The need to prohibit consumer fireworks on Mercer Island arises from the significant safety risk to users, the burden they place on our City’s fire and emergency services and the noise pollution they cause for neighbors, pets, and veterans. The Island’s Climate Action Plan states that hotter, drier summers are making wildfires more likely, even in our semi-urban environment. Our fire department notes that 911 calls surge significantly on July 4 primarily due to emergencies related to the use of fireworks. Almost all other cities in our region have banned the use and sale of fireworks in recent years.
The Council considered these factors before delivering a unanimous vote to adopt a permanent prohibition on fireworks.
This ordinance does not ban professional fireworks displays, which require specific fire prevention and safety measures to be in place. The City will continue to permit appropriate public fireworks displays that meet City code requirements, including the annual Summer Celebration fireworks display.
Because state law dictates that this type of ordinance cannot take effect until at least one year after adoption, the changes made by the Council’s adoption will not begin until 2025. However, the discharge of fireworks is still prohibited in 2024, following an order previously issued by the Fire Chief.
2024 Order Prohibiting the Discharge of Consumer Fireworks
On May 1, 2024, Mercer Island’s Fire Chief issued an order prohibiting the discharge of consumer fireworks this 4th of July due to extreme fire danger – this danger is related to the reduced supply of incoming water caused by SPU’s primary water supply pipeline being down. The order was issued alongside Emergency Proclamation No. 329, which outlines the water emergency.
While the City code allows for the Fire Chief to prohibit the discharge of fireworks due to extreme fire danger, this does not extend to the sale of fireworks. It will remain legal for vendors to sell fireworks this year, even though their use is prohibited on Mercer Island.
More Information
Links to documents and a list of frequently asked questions are available on Let's Talk. If you have questions or need additional information, you can contact the City’s Customer Service Team by email or phone: 206-275-7600.
