County Cracking Down On Illegal Fireworks

By CHARLENE PAUL

Moapa Valley Progress

Food, fun, drinks, parades, flags, and fireworks are all a part of Fourth of July celebrations all over the country. And while the first five items on that list don’t create much of a stir for participants, that sixth item is quite another story.

Safe and sane fireworks may be purchased at authorized vendors throughout the county between June 28 and July 4. If the fireworks you are looking for aren’t carried by those vendors, they are illegal in Clark County. And this year, the Clark County Commission and regional law enforcement officers are cracking down!

In May of this year, elected officials, regional fire department authorities and Metro police announced that there will be a crackdown on the possession and use of illegal fireworks across the county. The extent of this crackdown hasn’t been seen in over two decades. But officials say it was deemed necessary because of the number of injuries and fires attributed to the use of illegal fireworks.

The “You Light It, We Write It” campaign will be in full force this year throughout the county. And yes, that does include outlying communities like Moapa Valley.
“This isn’t a new law,” said local Metro Sergeant Bret Empey. “The problem is that it hasn’t been rigidly enforced out here.”

Empey explained that each year Metro receives complaints from people whose horses and other livestock have been spooked by the sounds. In addition, the local fire departments, manned by volunteers, is forced to run on numerous fires caused by illegal fireworks.
“We are not the enemy here,” Empey said. “We have been tasked with enforcing the law, and we will do it to the best of our abilities.”

The purchase and firing of illegal fireworks in the county carries a $1,000 fine, and offenders may be liable for fireworks disposal fees running into the hundreds of dollars.

Many people in the area like to purchase fireworks from the nearby Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza. While these fireworks are legal while on the tribal lands, they are illegal if taken off of those lands, county officials stated. The Paiute Travel Plaza does have a launch pad to enjoy the fireworks purchased there and county staff is recommending that people purchasing fireworks there should do just that.

For those wanting to report the use of illegal fireworks, Metro is asking residents not to use 9-1-1 or 3-1-1 to do so. Instead, residents should use www.ISpyFireworks.com, to file any complaints. Those complaints will be monitored and followed up.

The number of injuries associated with fireworks that were treated in U.S. hospitals in 2016 was more than 11,000. Furthermore, the National Fire Protection Association estimates that local fire departments respond to more than 50,000 fires caused by fireworks each year.

Empey suggested that instead of purchasing illegal fireworks and being subject to the fines, local residents put their money to a more civic-mind use.
“Can you imagine what kind of a fireworks show the Moapa Valley community could put on if, instead of using their money to purchase illegal fireworks, residents donated that money to the local Fourth of July celebration?” Empey said. “It would be huge!”

“Look, we all enjoy the perks and quirks of the rural lifestyle,” Empey added. “But this illegal firework issue has gotten out of hand. Be safe. Be a good citizen. Obey the law. And have a wonderful Fourth of July!”