Fire season is here, and Millcreek officials chose to keep the status quo. 

The Millcreek City Council unanimously voted to keep its same restrictions it has in recent years, banning fireworks east of 900 East and in the far west area near Sunnyvale Park and the Jordan River as well as Scott Avenue Park just west of 900 East.

Councilmember Thom DeSirant noted even when the state has a wet winter, July can often arrive dry. 

“Unfortunately, Utah is a desert state, this doesn’t completely ban fireworks, but it does ban the use of them in the most flammable areas, I think consistency is helpful,” he said prior to the vote. 

Unified Fire Marshal Wade Watkins released a statement saying conditions suggest a fire season ranging from normal to above normal due to moisture levels and the curing of fuel leading up to the Fourth of July. He strongly recommended cities “take proactive steps to reduce fire risk” by maintaining or reducing the number of approved areas
for fireworks. 

In 2024, there was some concern about being overly restrictive, but the council’s vote took the safety first approach. 

Mayor Jeff Silvestrini said some of this is people pleasing. 

“There’s a faction that would like to see the restrictions lifted in some areas,” he said during the council’s discussion. “Then there are others that would prefer we outlaw them in the whole city.”

He said he’s received letters about the fireworks map with some residents in the west side of Millcreek, where they are allowed, asking to ban them for the whole city. 

“The answer is because we’re not banning them because people don’t like them. We’re only restricting them to the extent that, in consultation with the fire marshal, we think there’s fire danger here that could result in damage to people or property,” Silvestrini said. 

The ban focuses on any ignition source with the resolution the council passed specifically including fireworks, lighters, matches, sky lanterns and smoking materials. The “flammable areas” mentioned by DeSirant and included in the resolution were “bush-covered or dry grass-covered areas” and “within 200 feet of waterways, trails, canyons, washes, ravines, or similar area.”

Salt Lake City is keeping its fire restrictions in place, banning fireworks east of 900 East as well. Murray also kept its boundaries from last year while Midvale adjusted its boundaries but only to establish more definitive lines on the map. Holladay loosened some restricted areas last year notably east of 1300 East up to I-215 while still banning them in undeveloped parks and wildland areas, as well as 200 feet within waterways, ravines and foothills. Holladay officials chose to keep those boundaries. 

The Unified Fire website has an interactive map that can tell you whether your area is restricted or not (unifiedfire.org/prevention/fireworks). Legal times to discharge fireworks are two days before, day of, and one day after July 4 and July 24. λ