Boise agencies prepare for July 4 fireworks season, possible ‘devastating fires’
Fireworks stands opened around the Boise area on Tuesday, but Boise Fire Department crews have long been putting in extra time to reduce the danger of fire with the Fourth of July holiday approaching.
Last year’s celebration of Independence Day kept crews busy, with 17 fires reported on July 4 alone and a total of 27 fires reported within Ada County. The number was 31 fires for the Boise department over the 2024 holiday.
“While this year may be drier than others, our area is always dry enough during this time of year for fireworks to cause devastating fires,” Boise Fire Marshal Mike Bisagno told the Idaho Statesman in an email.
As usual, fire officials are asking for the public’s help this holiday season by sticking to “safe and sane” fireworks that do not fly into the air or explode. Such aerial fireworks are illegal in Idaho, but they can be bought in the state and are shot off every year around Independence Day, generally with impunity.
Around the holiday, the Boise Fire Department normally has extra crews operating wildland fire engines, Bisagno said, and seasonal crews spend time performing mitigation work. That includes mowing grasses, removing shrubs and trimming trees in areas that are deemed to be of higher risk for wildfire and potential property damage.
“We also have some of our career firefighters that work on their days off performing chipping operations of the brush and trees that were removed from these areas that were mitigated,” Bisagno said.
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office is also braced for additional emergency-related calls over the holiday. While they maintain standard staffing levels on the Fourth of July, call volume does increase, including “day-to-day emergencies, an increase in alcohol-related calls, and the general uptick that comes with a holiday weekend,” Sheriff Matt Clifford said.
The Ada County Commission voted earlier this month to prohibit fireworks in unincorporated Ada County, which are areas of the county that are outside of the city limits of Boise, Meridian, Garden City, Kuna, Eagle and Star, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting. Fireworks are also banned in city parks and the Boise Foothills.
The Eagle City Council also unanimously approved new restrictions this week on the use of fireworks in areas at extreme risk of wildfire.
To see if your property falls within the prohibited Wildland-Urban Interface, view a map here.
“Fireworks are banned in unincorporated Ada County, and every complaint generates a call for service handled as deputies are available,” Clifford said. “Illegal fireworks complaints, while completely valid, are prioritized alongside everything else coming in — which means they may fall lower on the list when emergencies are pending.
“However, if someone’s use of illegal fireworks results in a fire, injury, or property damage, we will respond and investigate — and that person can expect to be held accountable.”
In Boise, fines for the use of illegal fireworks are $156.50 for a first offense. A second offense within five years comes with a misdemeanor charge and a court appearance to determine the fine and/or punishment, according to a Boise Police Department spokesperson.
