Houston, one of the few places in Southcentral Alaska where fireworks are generally legal, has officially banned their use and sales over the Fourth of July weekend.
Houston Mayor Virgie Thompson and fire Chief Tom Hood announced the decision Wednesday. A statement from the mayor explained the decision was based on "limited firefighting resources, high fire danger, and recent community losses."
Fireworks are already banned in Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Borough and the Fairbanks North Star Borough. They're not allowed on state parks or federal lands either.
Hundreds of fires are burning in Alaska this week. Houston is the next community south on the Parks Highway from Willow, where the Sockeye fire that started June 14 destroyed 55 homes and cabins and damaged dozens more structures.The fire is now 98 percent contained, though sections continue to smolder. Some residents blamed fireworks, but no official cause has been determined.
Houston is home to several fireworks stands that will stay closed until further notice, city officials say. Robert Hall, who owns or manages the stands, said Tuesday he didn't plan to open.
Discharging fireworks for personal and private use on private lands in Houston is banned until further notice, city officials say. Discharging fireworks is illegal within any city park or upon any public property or rights of way. This includes Little Susitna River Campground and Houston Willow Creek Trailhead. Enforcement officers will conduct patrols, and violators face fines.
A burn ban on campfires, bonfires and trash fires remains in effect in Houston and on all Matanuska-Susitna Borough public lands including those within the popular Jim Creek area.
The Alaska State Fire Marshal's Office on Tuesday announced it was lifting a more broad suspension on fireworks sales. The Alaska Division of Forestry also canceled a burn prohibition across most of the state, though burn permit suspensions remain in place in many more urban areas.
The fire marshal's office and forestry division have been fielding requests to reverse those decisions, officials posted on the Alaska State Troopers Facebook page Wednesday afternoon.
But the fire marshal's fireworks decision is directly linked to Forestry's assessment of fire danger, according to spokesman Mike Warzewick. State administrative code requires the state lift any fireworks bans if fire danger falls below "extreme," as it did this week because of recent rain and higher humidity.
"This is not a hastily made decision, but made with careful scrutiny of weather and fire indices," the Facebook post states. "Regardless, it is our wish that people consider the risks associated with using fireworks during this holiday weekend and choose to celebrate our nation's birthday in other ways."