Think Out Loud

Broadcast: Wednesday, June 26

Illegal fireworks are ones that explode, fly in the air, or eject balls of fire. Legal fireworks shouldn’t travel more than six feet across the ground. — FILE - Fireworks for sale in Portland, Ore., July 3, 2019. The city of Portland banned fireworks in 2022, but the fire department is preparing for an potential increase in fireworks-related fires.
*Cheyenne Thorpe / OPB*

Although the city of Portland passed a fireworks ban in March 2022, Portland Fire & Rescue is preparing for a potential increase in fires started by personal fireworks this Fourth of July. Reporting by Willamette Week found that although the number of fires caused by fireworks dipped during the year the ban was enacted, the number of fireworks-related fires increased by 33% in 2023 compared with 2022. The fire department continues to urge people to obey the ban and celebrate the holiday in alternative ways. Rick Graves, a firefighter and spokesperson for Portland Fire & Rescue, joins us to share more about the risks of using personal fireworks on the Fourth of July.

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