Just in time for the Fourth of July, the North Salt Lake City Council passed a resolution that makes adjustments to the city code which places restrictions on the sale and use of fireworks within the city. Working together, the North Salt Lake City management and the Fire Department hope that clarifying the wording in the ordinance will help as the county enters into a dry and hot summer in which the threat of fire is particularly heightened.

“The threat this year and the conditions we are facing are unlike anything that I’ve seen in my career,” South Davis Metro Fire Chief Jeff Larsen told the city council during a recent meeting. 

In 2014, North Salt Lake adopted ordinance 2014–06, which established the areas of the city in which the sale and discharge of fireworks was restricted. The State of Utah’s codes concerning fireworks have changed many times in the following 11 years, and, in a memo to city council members, City Manager Ken Leetham said it’s his belief that the city should adopt a more current version of restrictions.

It is against the law in the city to sell, discharge and possess any fireworks not approved by the State of Utah, and only on approved dates. It is against the law to discharge fireworks in the restricted area. This area has not been changed since the institution of the law in 2014, and which is as described in the ordinance, “East of Orchard Drive from the Bountiful City boundary to the south side of Eagleridge Drive and east of US89 from Eagleridge Drive to the south boundary of the city.” 

There are prominently displayed signs throughout the restricted area about the prohibition. The Fire Chief has full authority to temporarily extend the restricted area and issue decrees during an emergency, such as a wind storm or a particularly dry summer month. 

“We do have a lot of open land,” said Leetham. “There are open fields. Even in the residential area we have fire hazard areas.” 

Larsen said the restricted area was determined by the slope of the slopes that surround North Salt Lake, wind patterns and the behavior of fires. 

Campfires and other fires are allowed only in designated fire pits which have been built by the U.S. Forest Service. Homemade and other make-shift fires are not allowed, though this does not apply to residential buildings and improved fire pits adjacent to residential buildings. 

The new version of the ordinance updates the language, changing “Class C fireworks,” which is a term no longer associated with fireworks sold in Utah, to commercial fireworks, it corrects the written description of the restricted area within the text of the city code, and makes explicit the fire chief’s authority to temporarily expand the restricted area. 

Anyone caught selling fireworks may be in danger of having their license to sell revoked, and any fireworks found may be confiscated and destroyed.

Breaking of this law is a Class B misdemeanor and will result in a fine and jail time. 

The ordinance will not interfere with any celebration of Independence Day within North Salt Lake. The proper precautions and preparations have been made. 

The resolution to pass the ordinance received unanimous approval, with “ay” votes from all city council members except for Heidi Smoot, who was not present at the meeting and excused from the vote.