Where can you set off fireworks in Linn and Johnson counties?

Most larger cities ban discharge, others set time limits

Bobby Estabrook (center), owner of the Iowa Fireworks Co. stand on Williams Boulevard SW in Cedar Rapids, and his daughter Raina Estabrook, 8, help Jeff Livingston of Cedar Rapids pick out fireworks June 25 that his son might enjoy. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Fourth of July fireworks can be legally purchased just about anywhere in Iowa, but they can’t be legally set off in every city. And this year’s dry conditions make their discharge even more problematic.

This will be the second Fourth holiday since Iowa lawmakers amended a law and barred cities from restricting the sale of fireworks to certain areas of a city. Until that change, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and other Iowa cities had limited fireworks sales to industrial zones.

While cities no longer can limit the sale of fireworks, they can ban their use inside the city limits — which many cities do, including Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

Breaking those rules can result in fines of at least $250, according to Iowa Code, but cities can impose a higher fine. Cedar Rapids, for example, fines people $625 for setting off commercial fireworks,

Most cities allow residents to deploy novelty fireworks — like sparklers, caps and snakes — though caution is advised.

“My biggest recommendation is to make sure fireworks are age- appropriate,” Iowa City Fire Marshal Troy Roth said. “Don’t turn your back on small children with sparklers.”

Cedar Rapids Fire Marshal Vance McKinnon agreed, noting the increased risk for fireworks-related fires this year because of the dry conditions.

Most of Iowa is in at least moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor report, meaning grass and weeds are browning and vulnerable to grass fires.

Vance McKinnon, Cedar Rapids fire marshal

“Even with sparklers, those are extremely dangerous, just because of the heat. Those things burn between 1,200 and 2,000 degrees. We want to make sure that parents are very cautious with those, that they keep a close eye on their children,” McKinnon said.

To safely dispose of sparklers, McKinnon said to put them in a metal bucket full of water and let them sit overnight to cool before putting them in the trash.

Fire calls

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department responded to 14 fireworks-related fires last year — two structure fires, four grass fires and eight dumpster/trash fires.

McKinnon, the department’s fire marshal, partially attributed the fires to the increased availability of fireworks. He’s concerned more fires might happen this year, given the wide availability of fireworks.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office has approved 517 fireworks sales licenses this year in Iowa, including 14 in Cedar Rapids.

That’s down from 574 fireworks sales licenses in 2022 and 583 in 2021.

Of the 14 licenses in Cedar Rapids — the same number as last year — 10 licenses are for temporary tents or stands, and four are for permanent stores. In 2020, when sales were limited to industrial areas, the city had one vendor.

Fireworks are displayed at the Iowa Fireworks Co. stand on Williams Boulevard SW in Cedar Rapids. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

Police calls

Cedar Rapids police handled 616 fireworks-related calls last year, between June 1 and July 8. That was down 23 percent from the 795 calls in 2021.

Officials had no conclusive reason for the decrease, but some speculated it could be because the big municipal fireworks shows resumed in 2022 after being canceled during the pandemic.

In both 2021 and 2022, 17 people were cited for fireworks violations.

So far this year, Cedar Rapids police have responded to five fireworks-related calls, with no citations issued.

Iowa City police reported 236 fireworks-related calls in 2022. Officers wrote nine fireworks-related warnings and no fireworks-related citations.

In 2021, Iowa City police had fewer fireworks calls — 135 — but wrote 12 warnings and one citation.

Roth, the Iowa City fire marshal, said he’s not worried about an increase in firework calls this year, because the city has only two fireworks tent vendors, the same number as last year.