ADA COUNTY, Idaho — With Fourth of July celebrations just around the corner, Ada County commissioners voted on June 17 to ban fireworks in unincorporated areas of the county that could face severe wildfire threats this summer.
The 2-1 vote prohibits fireworks in specific zones outside the city limits of Boise, Meridian, Kuna, Garden City, Eagle, and Star. Commissioner Ryan Davidson was the only one to vote against the resolution.
The ban affects approximately 847 square miles of unincorporated Ada County. Officials have published an interactive map showing exactly where fireworks are prohibited.
"A significantly increased fire danger affects all of the Western United States right now," said Ada County Commissioner Tom Dayley. "We've seen the catastrophic results in nearby states, and we are doing what we can here in Ada County to minimize the danger to lives and property."
The wildfire threat in Ada County is expected to be severe this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, partly due to a wet winter followed by an unusually dry spring.
"Ada County has a higher potential for large fires due to abundant grasses from the last two wet winters, coupled with a forecasted warmer and drier than normal summer," said Jim Wallmann, meteorologist with the National Interagency Coordination Center Predictive Services.
Ada County commissioners have approved similar fireworks restrictions every year for more than a decade.
