Post by Admin on Dec 31, 2020 19:13:38 GMT -7
Conditions spark firework worries
The Livingston Enterprise reports:
"New Year’s Eve is a big day for first responders and law enforcement for obvious reasons, from increased DUIs to city firework ordinance enforcement, but this year first responders have another much more serious threat to contend with: potential wildfires.
“All the other risks that are normally associated with New Year’s Eve still exist, there’s just an added component of a wildfire risk this year,” said Park County Rural Fire District #1 Chief Dann Babcox. “We have limited equipment and limited staff, and if we start getting two or three incidents going on at the same time, we’re going to have a problem.”
This year, the problem is there’s less moisture in the air and in the grass than usual.
“There’s no snow on the ground and there is a lot of tall dead grass,” Babcox said. “There’s all kinds of fuel ready to go. Since it’s cold, people might think it’s fine, but with low humidity and high winds, the fire hazard this year is high. Plus you got everyone super excited to get rid of 2020.”
In addition, local fireworks dealer Jamie Denny, proprietor of Black Raptor Fireworks, reported record sales this year, suggesting that people are excited to celebrate the end of this regrettable year.
“People are tired of 2020,” she said. “They want to blow it up.”
Read the full story here.
"New Year’s Eve is a big day for first responders and law enforcement for obvious reasons, from increased DUIs to city firework ordinance enforcement, but this year first responders have another much more serious threat to contend with: potential wildfires.
“All the other risks that are normally associated with New Year’s Eve still exist, there’s just an added component of a wildfire risk this year,” said Park County Rural Fire District #1 Chief Dann Babcox. “We have limited equipment and limited staff, and if we start getting two or three incidents going on at the same time, we’re going to have a problem.”
This year, the problem is there’s less moisture in the air and in the grass than usual.
“There’s no snow on the ground and there is a lot of tall dead grass,” Babcox said. “There’s all kinds of fuel ready to go. Since it’s cold, people might think it’s fine, but with low humidity and high winds, the fire hazard this year is high. Plus you got everyone super excited to get rid of 2020.”
In addition, local fireworks dealer Jamie Denny, proprietor of Black Raptor Fireworks, reported record sales this year, suggesting that people are excited to celebrate the end of this regrettable year.
“People are tired of 2020,” she said. “They want to blow it up.”
Read the full story here.