Ban fireworks, says Huntsman

(Photo Credit: © 2006 Bobby Haven/The Brunswick News)

And I agree with him. It's lunacy to let people light combustible things that are designed to send sparks all over when it is this dry.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. signed an emergency declaration Tuesday calling for local officials to ban personal use of fireworks in their areas because of wildfire dangers.
"With our state already coping with unprecedented loss of life and property due to record wildfires, extraordinary measures are called for," the governor said in a news release. "We must work together to protect life and property in these unusual circumstances."
The Utah Division of Air Quality immediately seconded Huntsman's call. The division noted in a news release that fireworks are a hazard "not only because of wild land fire dangers but also because fireworks pump fine-particulate pollution in the air, prompting an unhealthy spike in air pollution that makes it difficult for people to breathe."
Because of the severe fire danger, such a ban is already in effect for most federal and state lands, including national parks, the governor said. "I am asking local leaders to join me in taking a step beyond those guidelines already put in place at the federal and state levels."
The possibility of extending the ban has local fireworks vendors worried.
"Will it affect our business?" wondered Anthony Abdullah, sales manager of Phantom Fireworks, a fireworks distributor in Evanston, Wyo. "It very well could."

Let's see what is more important, firework distributors making money in Wyoming (where people go to buy illegal fireworks) OR peoples lives, property, and air quality?

Provo, "banned" the fireworks before the ink from Huntsman's pen was dry on the page.

The council met Tuesday night but by law couldn't pass a resolution banning fireworks because it hadn't given prior notice that it would consider a formal action.
Instead, the council unanimously called for Provo residents to voluntarily abstain from using fireworks from July 21-27, when the law allows them

Yeah that will work.