City of Aurora bans sale and use of fireworks under Stage 2 restrictions, city show to continue as planned
On Friday, the City of Aurora announced it's entering Stage 2 fire restrictions, which include a ban on the sale and use of all consumer fireworks. However, the city's 4th of July Spectacular is still planned to take place.
The city says hundreds of Colorado firefighters from across the Front Range have deployed to multiple wildfires statewide, reducing the local aid available. This, combined with elevated fire restrictions in Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas Counties prompted officials to institute the ban.
Other restrictions include the prohibition of recreational fires, open or prescribed burns, outdoor smoking in all city parks and open spaces, small internal combustion engines operated without a properly installed and maintained spark arrestor and model rockets.
"We really tried to allow people to be able to celebrate the 4th of July responsibly with legal fireworks but the elevated restrictions are necessary given the totality of circumstances this fire season," said Aurora Fire Chief Alec Oughton. "I'm asking our community to observe the true essence of the holiday: Come together as one for each other. By taking these proactive steps together, we're helping ensure our firefighters remain available to respond when our community needs them most."
The 4th of July Spectacular will still take place with "extensive fire protection measures in place," the city says. Aurora Fire Rescue will have multiple units on site and is upstaffing its wildland specialty crews throughout the weekend to patrol the city. City officials say the Aurora Office of Emergency Management and other city departments will operate under a unified command throughout the holiday.
