Drought necessitates extension of firework prohibition

A prohibition on firework use, possession, and sale in unincorporated Garfield County has been extended from June 20 through July 5 due to severe drought conditions in the area. In April, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted an ordinance prohibiting the use, possession, or sale of any fireworks in unincorporated Garfield County through April 2023, but the dates of May 31 through July 5 are exempt because of a state law that requires counties to show “competent evidence of high fire danger” to prohibit firework use during this time. Garfield County Emergency Manager Chris Bornholdt told the commissioners that