Starting this spring, the sale of fireworks will be prohibited in the East Kootenay between April and November of each year.

“For many years now, we’ve had a bylaw that prohibits the sale of fireworks when the Province issues Category 2 open fire bans in our region,” explained Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Board Chair Rob Gay. “On the heels of another hot, dry summer we felt that it was important to be proactive in reducing this potential wildfire risk and to hopefully provide clarity to those businesses who sell fireworks well ahead of when they would be ordering stock for 2021.”

As a regional district, the RDEK is not able to regulate the use of fireworks as a municipality might; however, that will still be governed by the provincial restrictions during the peak of the fire season.

“We are not able to govern the use of fireworks, but we know reducing the ability for people to purchase fireworks does make a difference,” added Gay.

The bylaw amendment, which expands the ban on the sale and disposition of fireworks between April 1 and November 30 was adopted at the board’s December meeting and will apply to any person or business within Electoral Areas A, B, C, E, F and G.

The RDEK will be providing public education about the change early in the New Year.

RDEK

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