Fireworks bans are on the rise after a record heatwave in the Pacific Northwest rekindled concerns that explosive celebrations could cause wildfires.
The unprecedented heatwave in the Pacific Northwest has prompted officials in both Oregon and Washington to issue fireworks bans as a safeguard against the development of wildfires.
“If we don’t take this proactive step now, I fear the consequences could be devastating,” Sara Boone, fire chief of Portland Fire & Rescue, said in a press release. “It is not easy to make a decision like this so close to our national holiday but as fire chief, I feel I have a higher responsibility to sometimes make unpopular decisions during unprecedented times