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Statement For · Committee for a Safer, Healthier, and more Environmentally Friendly July 4th
statement likely AI Committee: Committee for a Safer, Healthier, and more Environmentally Friendly July 4th
A YES vote helps protect the homes, families, and way of life we cherish in Island County while helping preserve access to affordable homeowners’ insurance.
Washington law (RCW 70.77.395) gives our county commissioners authority to prohibit the sale, purchase, possession, and discharge of consumer fireworks. This measure gives our community a practical way to reduce preventable danger before one spark becomes a tragedy.
As neighboring communities restrict fireworks, Island County has increasingly become a destination for “fireworks tourism,” drawing people here to buy and discharge fireworks they cannot legally use where they live. That concentrates the noise, debris, emergency calls, and fire risk in our communities.
Washington is experiencing its fourth consecutive year of drought emergency. On Camano and Whidbey, limited evacuation routes, dense forests, rural terrain, and largely volunteer fire departments make a fast-moving fire especially dangerous.
According to Washington’s Insurance Commissioner, increased wildfire risk also affects the cost and availability of homeowners’ insurance. Consumer fireworks terrify pets, livestock, and wildlife; disturb veterans and others sensitive to noise; and leave smoke and debris in neighborhoods, pastures, beaches, and waterways.
The measure still allows permitted professional displays, giving our community a safer way to celebrate together.
Statement Against · Committee to Keep Fireworks
statement likely AI Committee: Committee to Keep Fireworks
Vote No – Keep Fireworks Legal
Every generation deserves the opportunity to create traditions and memories of its own.
Many of us remember Fourth of July celebrations with family, neighbors, sparklers and fireworks. We grew up, raised families and passed those traditions along.
Fireworks can be noisy and inconvenient. They also carry risks and responsibilities. But Island County has already responded with reasonable compromise: limiting when fireworks may be used, prohibiting mortar fireworks and other dangerous devices, restricting where fireworks may be discharged, and allowing additional restrictions when fire conditions warrant.
We should enforce those rules and insist on responsible behavior–not replace reasonable regulation with prohibition.
Living in a community requires consideration in both directions. Those who use fireworks should respect their neighbors, follow the law, and practice fire safety. Those who don’t enjoy fireworks might extend some grace to families creating traditions of their own.
The traditions we inherited do not belong exclusively to us. We are their caretakers.
Our responsibility is not to eliminate every freedom that carries risk or inconvenience, but to teach the next generation to exercise those freedoms responsibly.
Preserve the tradition. Pass it on.
Vote No on the fireworks ban.