Fireworks are banned on public lands, and several counties have imposed burn bans. Officials encourage attending public displays and stress safety measures, including keeping water nearby and avoiding alcohol when handling fireworks. Volunteer beach cleanups are also planned July 5 to reduce holiday litter.
WA officials warn of wildfire risks from Fourth of July fireworks
by Emily Fitzgerald, Washington State Standard
July 2, 2025
Firefighters and public lands managers are urging Washington residents to use extra caution when setting off fireworks this Fourth of July due to dry conditions.
“We’ve already had 600 fires start in Washington” this year, Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said during a press conference Wednesday. Four hundred of those fires were on state-owned land, he added.
“Don’t be an idiot, don’t set our state on fire this weekend, and have a fun, safe Fourth of July,” Upthegrove said.
Citing data that shows fireworks were responsible for 156 injuries and 271 fires in Washington last year, with the highest concentration of incidents occurring on the Fourth of July, the state fire marshal is encouraging residents to view fireworks at a public display rather than igniting their own.
For those who do choose to set off their own fireworks, the fire marshal advises them to only use legal, consumer-grade fireworks that don’t show signs of tampering or damage. Officials also warn against pointing fireworks at others or consuming alcohol when handling fireworks. And they advise keeping sparklers and fireworks away from anyone’s body, and having a water source like a bucket or a hose nearby.
It’s legal to buy or sell fireworks in Washington until 9 p.m. on July 5.
Under state law, fireworks can only be discharged between noon and 11 p.m. from June 28 through July 5.
Some counties and cities across Washington have their own fireworks restrictions that supersede state guidelines.
With much of the state abnormally dry or in drought, counties in eastern and western Washington have also already been imposing burn bans this summer.
As of Wednesday, InciWeb, the federal website that displays wildfire information, showed a roughly 1,900-acre, lightning-sparked fire burning in north-central Washington, mostly in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. It had not led to evacuations and was not threatening any structures.
Fireworks are prohibited year-round on all public lands in Washington, including state parks, beaches and land managed by federal and state agencies.
After volunteers removed over 129,000 pounds of trash from Washington beaches last Fourth of July weekend, Washington State Parks is asking beach visitors to clean up after themselves and pack out their trash this year.
To help reduce litter, volunteers with Grassroots Garbage Gang will hand out garbage bags to visitors at the Seaview, Sid Snyder, Bolstad, Cranberry, Klipsan, Ocean Park and Oysterville beach approaches from 4 to 8 p.m. on July 4.
Washington State Parks and a handful of nonprofits, including Washington CoastSavers, Grassroots Garbage Gang, Surfrider Olympia and Grays Harbor Surfrider, will also host volunteer beach cleanup events along the coast from 9 a.m. to noon on July 5.
In addition to the year-round fireworks ban, the Department of Fish and Wildlife is restricting several fire-related activities on land it manages in eastern Washington until further notice due to increased wildfire risk.
Restricted activities include campfires, target shooting, smoking, welding, operating chainsaws, and operating a motor vehicle away from developed roads.
“This year’s forecast shows an increased risk of wildfires statewide,” Department of Fish and Wildlife Lands Division Manager Kevin Connally said in a statement. “These restrictions help protect local communities, as well as critical wildlife habitat, and we all have a responsibility to our shared outdoor spaces.”
July 2 marks National Wildland Firefighter Day. Upthegrove and several fire officials took time Wednesday to honor three Idaho firefighters who were shot Sunday in an ambush in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, while responding to a brush fire, as well as Washington firefighters who died in the line of duty last year.
“One of the best ways we can honor those that are putting their lives on the line is to do our part to reduce the risk of wildfire, to prevent folks from having to go out and respond in the first place,” Upthegrove said during the press conference, held in Ellensburg.
Fire season preparation in Washington was made more difficult this year by state budget cuts and federal layoffs, “but we’re ready, at the Department of Natural Resources, thanks to strong partnerships with other agencies,” Upthegrove said.
“We’re heading into a very, very busy time,” said Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue Chief SJ Goldsmith, citing drought conditions and winds.
“It’s going to take just one spark to create a disaster for our community,” Goldsmith said. “Please make sure that we are taken care of and we don’t have to come put out a fire and risk our lives for your negligence.”
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