To the many people who don’t seem to know or don’t think anyone cares, it is not legal to set off fireworks in unincorporated parts of Snohomish County (meaning anywhere outside city limits) on or around New Year’s Eve. This includes the afternoon and evening of Dec. 31 (the booms started in my neighborhood around 4 p.m., the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, and the subsequent hours until dawn (the final barrage in my area occurred between 4 and 5 a.m.). Nor is it legal to set off fireworks on the following evenings of Jan. 1 and 2 (when we were treated to more nerve-wracking explosions during a time of day when we’re normally trying to unwind and relax).
Snohomish County Code 30.53A.722 allows one day per year when fireworks enthusiasts in unincorporated areas can legally set off as many annoying booms as they like: July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. If you miss that opportunity or think it’s inadequate, tough — it’s time to put away the fireworks until the next July 4. If you’re within the city limits of Everett, Lynnwood and most other south county cities, fireworks are banned every day of the year so you may want to move to the Tulalip Reservation or some other fireworks-friendly jurisdiction.
So the next time you’re tempted to put flame to fuse, consider the potential legal penalties, children startled out their sleep, veterans with PTSD, terrified pets and irritated adults within the radius of your idiotic noise pollution.
Jack Wright
Everett
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