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By Joe Edwards
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Dangerous weather conditions are prompting officials in some states to restrict the use of fireworks ahead of July 4 amid wildfire concerns.
Oregon, Washington, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho and Nebraska all have regulations or guidance in place. But the danger appears most acute in Utah.
Announcing restrictions, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said: "We are seeing fire behavior that even our most experienced firefighters say they’ve never witnessed before."
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Fireworks are synonymous with Independence Day celebrations. A July 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus poll found that 46 percent of U.S. adults say most years they go to a fireworks display, while 31 percent say they set off fireworks for the Fourth of July.
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Utah Moves to Restrict Fireworks Statewide
Cox announced temporary statewide fireworks restrictions on Thursday as the state grapples with "extraordinary wildfire conditions that have produced hundreds of fires, exhausted firefighting resources and created some of the most dangerous fire behavior" in its history.
Several blazes are burning across The Beehive State as of Friday morning, including the approximately 40,445-acre Iron fire northwest of Eureka and the Cottonwood fire near Beaver, with has reached over 70,00 acres, according to a Watch Duty map. Both wildfires have triggered evacuation orders. Cox said regarding the Cottonwoord fire earlier this week there was a "good chance that this is already the most destructive fire" in state history.
The order enables the state forester to prohibit fireworks statewide, while allowing municipalities, in consultation with local fire officials, to designate specific areas where fireworks can still be used. The Governor’s office said wildfire conditions will be reviewed before any decision is made on restrictions for the July 24 Pioneer Day holiday.
The restrictions come as Utah experiences a severe fire season marked by historic drought, hundreds of fires and fire behavior that is stretching resources, Cox’s release noted. More than 75 percent of wildfires this season have been human-caused, and dry vegetation and extreme weather have created conditions in which small ignitions can spread rapidly, it added.
"Nothing about this decision was easy," said Cox. "Utahns love celebrating the Fourth of July with family, friends and fireworks. I do too. But this year is different."
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Other States Have Issued Firework, Severe Weather Guidance
In New Mexico, the state forester said earlier this year that fireworks would be prohibited statewide on "nonmunicipal, non-federal and non-Tribal lands covered wholly or in part in timber, brush, grass, grain, or other flammable vegetation." It added that the forester was allowing exceptions to the fireworks ban that do not need prior written approval if they are part of a public display approved by the local fire department. According to a release at the time the ban would remain in place until lifted.
Texas has not issued a statewide July 4 fireworks ban like Utah’s, but Governor Greg Abbott has renewed fire-weather and drought disaster proclamations covering numerous counties, and several counties—including Liberty, Caldwell, Floyd and Live Oak—have adopted official July 4 orders restricting certain fireworks in unincorporated areas because of drought and fire danger.
Other states appear to be relying mostly on local restrictions, existing public-land rules or safety advisories, rather than Utah’s broader temporary statewide approach. In Colorado, several counties have imposed Stage 1 or Stage 2 fire restrictions that bar personal fireworks, including Mesa, Garfield and Summit counties. Oregon and Washington have issued statewide July Fourth safety reminders, urging residents to check local restrictions.
In Idaho and Nebraska, the restrictions also appear to be more localized. Ada County, Idaho, adopted a 2026 resolution declaring a severe fire threat and banning fireworks in specific areas, while Nebraska’s State Fire Marshal says local restrictions may apply; local reporting says several Panhandle communities have adopted varying fireworks bans or limits amid drought and wildfire concerns.
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