Illegal Fireworks Amid Extreme Drought Conditions Concern Authorities

 

SAN ANGELO – Tom Green County officials are reminding residents that discharging fireworks on public property is illegal and dangerous this Independence Day Holiday Weekend. 

Tom Green County is currently under a Burn Ban, which outlaws all outdoor burning; the exceptions are for grilling and welding. 

While it is legal to sell and possess fireworks and enjoy them on private property, it is illegal to use fireworks in public parks like Pugh Park, Foster Park, Harper Park and Veribest Park, Twin Buttes, and the San Angelo State Park an along any public roads or highways. 

In addition, it is always illegal to shoot off fireworks inside the City Limits of San Angelo.  

The Burn Ban is in effect because drought conditions in Tom Green County are so severe that any spark could ignite a wildfire, including fireworks. 

Officials recommend that residents who choose to use fireworks to celebrate the Independence Day Holiday on private property take the proper precautions to do so.  Never let a child use fireworks unsupervised.  Have a water source nearby to douse any flames that ignite, and be sure not to set your neighbor's place on fire.  

The loud noises and bright flashes of light associated with fireworks are also scary for some pets.  Every year, some outdoor pets flee their homes because of the noise and confusion and end up at the animal shelter.  Make sure your pets are contained to prevent them from running away.  Stay inside with them and turn on the TV or some music to blunt the sounds of the fireworks.  And be kind to your neighbors and their pets as well.  

Experts recommend residents enjoy commercial fireworks displays like the Star Spangled Banner Concert and Fireworks at the River Stage in San Angelo on Monday, July 3 and the Lake Nasworthy Fireworks Display on Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4.  

According to information from the Tom Green County Judges Office, A BURN BAN IS IN EFFECT!   Please use extreme caution with fireworks.

Monday, July 3rd is not a Tom Green County holiday however some offices are choosing to close (please see below).     All county offices, courts and libraries will be closed on July 4th.    Commissioners Court has been rescheduled to July 5th at 8:30 am.

Budget workshop for Tom Green County begins Friday, July 7th at 9:30 am and continues through July 13th.   The final workshop is July 17th.

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Why allow the sale of fireworks in a county that is currently under a burn ban? Makes sense to me.

 

It's the same with gun part bans. Makes zero sense to me but hey they can sell them but we can't shoot them. Ironically don't drink and drive but you can get a beer to go at the closest beer barn in the DRIVE THRU. It's big gov saying do as we say not as we do....

To me it is the conundrum of granting people the freedom to purchase certain potentially dangerous items (alcohol, firearms, fireworks, overpowered automobiles...) and trusting them to use those items wisely and responsibly.  The majority of people do just that, and thereby cause no harm to others.

Those who choose not to play by wholly reasonable rules in the use of these things complicate the whole issue.  Folks like these should not be allowed to obtain anything such as what I mentioned above, and I don't give a rat's patoot about their alleged "rights".  If someone can't handle things of this nature appropriately they shouldn't have them.  Period.

The saddest part of this argument is that we all too often cannot identify folks like this until after they have done harm to others through misuse.

Stupidity has a way of hiding itself.

Guess you were a bit impatient when your computer wouldn't post the intelligent part when you clicked the first time. An intelligent man would have waited.

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