New Year’s Eve fireworks need the same precautions as summer fireworks
Dec 29, 2023, 1:00 PM
People attend the Last Hurrah at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on New Year’s Eve 2018. (David Newkirk/Downtown Alliance)
(David Newkirk/Downtown Alliance)
SALT LAKE CITY — If you plan on lighting fireworks this New Year’s Eve, fire officials say you should take some extra precautions.
Anytime you deal with fireworks, you should be extremely careful. But this year, temperatures are warmer. And, there’s not much snow on the ground –mostly just dry, dead grass.
“The exposed plants and whatnot, we definitely want to keep that in the back of our minds,” said Unified Fire Authority Firefighter Benjamin Porter.
Porter said we shouldn’t treat this holiday any differently than fireworks in the summer. Despite the colder temperatures, Porter said to be mindful.
“It’s definitely not something we want to forget at New Year’s. There are still possibilities of fireworks, you know, lighting a home on fire.”
Some basic firework safety tips include keeping water close by. Porter recommended soaking used fireworks in water before throwing them away to make sure they don’t catch fire in the trash.
If you’ve had alcohol, you’re better off not trying to light any fireworks. And, Porter said that as fun as it is, kids shouldn’t be handling them either.
Porter said sparklers can be especially dangerous because they are often given to kids and are held close to the body.
With all those tips in mind, keep New Year’s fun by staying safe.
Fireworks can be set off Dec. 31 from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., except in restricted areas. The Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office’s website has a list of restrictions by area.
