Skip the Fireworks to Support Firefighters

SANTA FE, NM – June 30, 2022 – Fireworks are a popular Fourth of July tradition. Over the years, many of us have personally experienced close calls and disasters related to firework-ignited fires – a stray ember on a rooftop, burnt grass, smoldering casings and other potential ignition sources. The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF), in cooperation with partners, urges you to forego the fireworks this Fourth of July to keep our communities safe by continuing the “Wildfire Preparedness is Year-Round” campaign. Our message for July is Skip the Fireworks to Support Firefighters. Since the National Interagency Fire Center just declared July 2 the First Annual National Wildland Firefighter Day, there has never been a better time to show your support. 

While recent moisture has decreased fire danger, much of Northern New Mexico is still in long-term drought and fireworks put our communities at unnecessary risk. Keep our communities safe by following all federal, state and local laws prohibiting fireworks this Fourth of July. Fireworks are prohibited on all state and federal lands. Many municipalities and counties have also banned the retail sale of fireworks due to extreme fire danger and a recent executive order by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Here are a few things you can do to make sure you are following federal, state and local laws prohibiting fireworks:  

• Remember, fireworks are ALWAYS illegal on federal lands. Still, be sure to check for fire restrictions and closures before you plan to visit public lands to make sure your non-firework holiday plans are permitted.
• Remember, if you are staying in town, many municipalities have fire restrictions that are not listed in the link above. Be sure to check with your local fire department or government agency for restrictions before building a campfire or lighting fireworks.
• Leave the fireworks to the professionals. Check your local events calendar for a firework display that you can enjoy without contributing to wildfire risk in your area.

Although you may not be lighting off fireworks, your neighbors may have different plans. Enjoy your Independence Day celebration and rest easy by hardening your home to embers and flames.

• Don’t lose your house to a spark gone astray. Clean your gutters and roof to prepare your home for wildfire season and the Fourth of July.
• Reduce the risk of ember ignitions to your house by preparing the five-foot zone around your structure.
• Create defensible space in the 30-foot zone around your house so you have a fighting chance to save it in the event of a wildfire.

The SFNF is working with the Cibola and Carson National Forests, Forest Stewards Guild, Fire Adapted NM, New Mexico Forestry Division, New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Bureau of Land Management New Mexico to continue our wildfire preparedness calendar in 2022 and share the message across multiple platforms, including social media, webinars and community events. Bookmark the wildfire preparedness webpage to follow the campaign throughout the year.