El Paso County Approves Fireworks, With One BIG Exception

Get ready for fireworks this Fourth of July as El Paso County Commissioners have approved the sale and use of fireworks.

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However, that comes with one big compromise: no flying fireworks allowed.

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NON-AERIAL FIREWORKS

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Sparklers
Black Cats
Smoke Bombs
Black Snakes (the lamest part of any homemade fireworks display)
Fountains
Party snaps

AERIAL FIREWORKS:

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ALL THE COOL ONES!!!

The Commissioners unanimously decided that fireworks can be sold and used this year in El Paso County. The exception is aerial’s also referred to as “sticks” or “fins”.

Commissioner Carlos Leon even praised local fireworks vendors for taking the initiative. Talking about the aerial fireworks Leon said, “You had already banned them yourselves. So, I know the Court really appreciates that.”

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It hasn’t rained substantially in El Paso in what seems like months. Has it rained at ALL in 2022? That could have had something to do with the Commissioner's (and, I guess, the vendors) decision to ban the aerials.

A lot of the public feedback on this decision has been negative. In addition to the dry year we’ve had so far, people are also pointing out the severity of wildfires in New Mexico this year. But, there’s one good thing about living in a desert: there’s not enough combustible matter for any fire to get TOO wild. You can’t have a forest fire without a forest, right?

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Also, I’ve seen comments from people who are upset that the fireworks are going to upset their dogs. I totally get that. However, there are plenty of loud fireworks going off even when there IS a ban. If you live within a five-mile radius of Ascarate, the ballpark, or any place that’s having a big, expensive, professional fireworks display, you’ve probably got to put your pets on doggie-Prozac already.