Drought conditions spark fears about Fourth of July fireworks in Lincoln
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – With the drought conditions in Nebraska, Lincoln officials are concerned about fireworks this Fourth of July.
Falling sparks and debris from fireworks can cause major damage, especially if it’s windy.
This year, a big portion of the eastern part of the state has been in exceptional drought.
Just this week, that area expanded even farther.
That’s something firefighters want people to be aware of.
“Concrete is always going to be your best bet for lighting off these fireworks,” Fire Inspector Jason Relford said. “If concrete is not available, I would recommend just wetting the ground, wetting down the area that you are going to be lighting those fireworks in.”
Relford also said to be extra aware of any low-hanging trees or foliage on the ground that could spread fire quickly.
And one of the most important things is how you take care of the fireworks after they’re set off.
He said fires are more common later in the night, when people have gone to sleep.
He said to fill a metal bucket with water and put the used fireworks in there to cool off overnight.
He recommends that you don’t put them in a dumpster or leave them close by your house on the ground because that’s when a serious fire can start.
Peter Grothaus, the owner of Patriot Pete’s Fireworks, hosted a firework demo in Lincoln on Friday night to show off what the business is selling this year.
He said he has a system in place for safe disposal.
“We have a lot more water on hand this year, actually,” Grothaus said. “So we will douse the packages as we’re shooting them off. If they’re on fire, we have buckets ready to pour on them. And as the show comes to an end, we’ll go around and check them all.”
Both men say the Fourth of July is better when you’re extra careful.
“As long as safety is your primary thought, you can still have fun, you can still enjoy yourself, you can still enjoy these holidays that are coming,” Relford said.
