The Fourth of July is defined by parades, parties, outdoor grilling, and fireworks. And although fireworks are undeniably fun, their misuse can lead to injury or death. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there were nearly 6,500 fireworks injuries in the weeks surrounding the Fourth of July last year.
Leelanau County’s emergency services are already stretched thin as they try to meet the needs of a larger population that includes seasonal residents, but their largest call volume comes over the summer holidays. To avoid injuries, local fire chiefs are urging residents to be careful and responsible with their fireworks.
LeelanauTownshipEmergency Services Chief Hugh Cook cautioned people to check burn permits for July 3-5 at michigan.gov/ burnpermit before shooting fireworks. The website links to a color-coded map of Michigan counties, with a breakdown of burn permits by township.
“It all depends on the weather. If we don’t have a burn permit in place, you have to be extra careful,” Cook said.
Cook said that Leelanau Township’s ordinance is on Leelanau County’s website. According to the website, all townships and villages in the county have a fireworks ordinance except for Solon Township. These ordinances have been gathered in a single document linked at leelanau.gov/howdoia. asp?rid=142.
All ordinances prohibit the ignition, discharge, and use of consumer fireworks except on certain holidays; in this case, July 3-5. Other provisions state people need to get express permission before using fireworks on public or private property, they cannot use them under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and generally they must use fireworks in accordance with local, state, and federal laws.
Some governmental units also do not allow the shooting of fireworks during certain hours, even on national holidays. Bingham and Leland townships and the villages of Northport and Suttons Bay prohibit the use of consumer fireworks between 1-8 a.m., and the village of Empire restricts consumer and low-impact fireworks between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
For definitions of terms like “consumer fireworks” and other restrictions, please refer to the respective township or village ordinance in the link above.
Several townships have already authorized fireworks display permits for Fourth of July events. Leland’s Fourth of July fireworks display is scheduled for July 3 at Hancock Field on Union Street. Leland Township Chamber of Commerce President Mark Morton confirmed that his organization raised enough funds to go through with the annual display at a township board meeting in May.
The village of Northport is also hosting its own fireworks show at the village marina at approximately 10 p.m. on the Fourth of July. According to the event page on the Northport Chamber of Commerce website, visitors are invited to bring lawn chairs to the municipal beach in Haserot Park and watch the sky light up over Northport Bay.
Last month, the Elmwood Township board permitted the National Cherry Festival Committee and the Traverse City Boom Boom Club to fire displays from barges in West Grand Traverse Bay July 6 as part of cherry fest.
