Beloit fire chief announces consumer fireworks ban
BELOIT — The city is banning use of consumer fireworks because of extremely dry conditions, Fire Chief Bradley Liggett announced Tuesday.
Other fire chiefs around Rock County are considering a similar ban. The Rock County Fire Officers Association late last week issued a countywide ban on open and controlled burning until the county sees "significant" rainfall.
Liggett on Tuesday announced a ban on all open burning and private use of consumer fireworks effective immediately.
The Beloit ban includes sparklers and novelty fireworks but does not prohibit residents from using grills to cook food, according to a news release.
Liggett said the ban is temporary and is "an unfortunate inconvenience to Fourth of July revelers."
Burning lawn waste, trash and open-air campfires also are illegal in Beloit.
Edgerton Fire Chief Brian Demrow, president of the Rock County Fire Officers Association, is looking into the possibility of banning fireworks. The group is gathering input and should have a decision later this week, he said.
Janesville Fire Chief Jim Jensen said in a message to The Gazette that the city is not planning a complete ban of consumer fireworks. However, law enforcement officials were planning a stepped-up enforcement of illegal fireworks, he said.
Liggett encouraged Beloit residents to attend community fireworks shows.
The Beloit Fire Department is making special preparations at the Beloit show site to minimize the effects of the fireworks show fall out. This includes a planned burn of the host field before the show takes place.
"This is a mitigation strategy to prevent a large fire occurring when the area is heavily populated with fireworks show patrons," he said in the news release.
"If we control burn the field ahead of time, we can prevent the effects of a large, rapidly moving fire."
The department plans to clear the field of vegetation this weekend and will conduct a controlled prairie burn.
Jun 28, 2012 at 1:45 a.m.
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luvu, no JBT JPD will still be lax. Will probably sound like a war movie here again on the south side starting sunday and lasting maybe a week past the 4th. Although I am glad we dont have people that dumb to shoot firearms into the air like some other cities do.
Jun 27, 2012 at 11:25 p.m.
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The JPD has been so lax on enforcing anything on 4th of July.......I'm curious as to whether the drought conditions will change that this year.
Jun 27, 2012 at 9:58 p.m.
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I 100% agree with Dwight.
Jun 27, 2012 at 9:37 p.m.
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jbsback - most community fireworks shows have a firetruck or two waiting at the scene just in case. They are controlled fireworks shot off by professional pyrotechnicians - a far cry from shooting off fireworks at home.
Jun 27, 2012 at 9:31 p.m.
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Why do so many of you have no regard for others? If you damage my property because you must break the law and have your fun, be prepared for a lawsuit. You dont have a RIGHT to do fireworks. It is a privilege. I for one am not going to tolerate bottle rockets bouncing off or landing on my cars or my house this year. I am also sick of picking up 30 bottle rockets every morning that landed all over my yard from my neighbors. I don't see my neighbors coming and picking up their mess from my yard for me. I'm not going to listen to it all night long. Janesville PD will for sure be receiving calls from me this year.
Jun 27, 2012 at 5:28 p.m.
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So its okay for the city (Gov't) to do fireworks, but the general public can't? I believe that if we can't do it, the city shouldn't be able to.
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