(Radio Iowa) – We’re still more than two weeks from Independence Day and some Iowans are already setting off noisy fireworks to celebrate, although it’s breaking local ordinances in many cities to do so. Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief Dave Schipper says fireworks are for sale now, but they’re not supposed to be set off in town until the three-day weekend, starting July 3rd. Even then, Schipper says the city’s ordinance makes it clear, fireworks can only be launched on a person’s property.
“Not on city streets, not in the city parks, not on somebody else’s property without their permission,” Schipper says. “We just ask people to be respectful of your neighbor. Don’t buy things that are so big you’re going to rain on your neighbor’s house or property.” Fireworks should only be set off under the supervision of someone 18 or older, and you need to be prepared for something to go wrong. “You should have some kind of fire protection there,” Schipper says, “whether it’s a garden hose, a bucket of water, fire extinguisher.” He recommends dousing fireworks with water and leaving them out of the garbage for at least 24 hours to avoid re-ignition.
If a firework does not light, Schipper recommends waiting 20 to 30 minutes before approaching, or you could be very sorry. “The last couple years here in Le Mars, we’ve had some people injured. We’ve had some fire calls because of them. So we just want people to be very careful,” Schipper says. “Use that three-day window that you’re allowed to do them in the window of July 3rd, 4th, and 5th and then be done.” He urges people to be respectful to their neighbors, especially of veterans who may be bothered by the loud noises, or those who have pets.
In Atlantic, fireworks are permissible July 2nd, from 5-until 11-p.m.; July 3rd, from 9-a.m. until 11-p.m.; and on July 4th, from 9-a.m. until 11-p.m. In 2025 the Iowa legislature updated the law, prohibiting cities from banning the discharge of consumer fireworks on July 3rd and 4th. The legislation also established the legal hours of fireworks use, and prevents cities from imposing more restrictive hours than those set by state law.
The City of Atlantic adopted a resolution this year that says fireworks use on July 3rd and 4th would not be subject to additional local restrictions. Atlantic Police and City officials say the intention of the resolution was to follow the hours already established under Iowa law, adding that “While we understand that the language may be interpreted by some to mean there are no time restrictions on those dates, that was not the intent of the resolution.”
