PNW folks: a quiet July 4th?

[Bobbie54]

My plan was to go up to Ronald (near Cle Elum) to my sister's place for the 4th, as they get maybe an hour or two of fireworks on the 4th only. (At home we have 2-3 days all day, any time, and about 6 hrs of heavy artillery on the 4th.) But ferries will likely be running on a one-boat schedule which could seriously increase travel time from Whidbey (either a two-plus hour drive around or a long ferry wait). So considering other locations. Can't do my other standby in Canada. It may be too late to go anywhere else but wondered if anyone has any ideas for a quiet 4th.

[cpaharley2008]

I just call the police, as fireworks in most cities are verboten due to fire hazard and close proximity of the homes. We have to drive out from the city for firework displays.

[Greg A]

Do a Zoom or FaceTime with ur Sis on the 4th and she can show you the fireworks while you visit.

[padlin]

The local news around here reports many more calls to the cops then normal for people setting off fireworks, I think they said 6 times the norm.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I just call the police, as fireworks in most cities are verboten due to fire hazard and close proximity of the homes. We have to drive out from the city for firework displays.

I wish. Does absolutely no good where I live; they will only respond if there is a fire or someone is injured. And even when fire danger was very high local officials refused to limit fireworks. (And my neighbors refused, too.)

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

My plan was to go up to Ronald (near Cle Elum) to my sister's place for the 4th, as they get maybe an hour or two of fireworks on the 4th only. (At home we have 2-3 days all day, any time, and about 6 hrs of heavy artillery on the 4th.) But ferries will likely be running on a one-boat schedule which could seriously increase travel time from Whidbey (either a two-plus hour drive around or a long ferry wait). So considering other locations. Can't do my other standby in Canada. It may be too late to go anywhere else but wondered if anyone has any ideas for a quiet 4th.

Hi: Bobbie54... I get enough "Fireworks" just staying home. I don't need to go anywhere for it!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Do a Zoom or FaceTime with ur Sis on the 4th and she can show you the fireworks while you visit.

I want to avoid the local fireworks. I live near the beach and they start by the 1st and by the 3rd are being set off all day. The night of the 4th they start well before dark and don't stop until around 2 am and they are so close the house shakes. And they are all illegal fireworks sold on the reservations; sheriff refuses to try to limit them. Her house gets maybe 1-2 hrs one night (they are only legal on the 4th and people up there do worry about fires- they were pretty close to a big one two years ago. I have to medicate Sadie and it isn't good for her to be on Xanax around the clock for that long.

The good thing this year is that lack of fire danger means it is safe to leave my home unattended. But even pouring rain on the 4th won't stop the local (well, weekend) pyromaniacs.

[Iowa Dave]

Maybe Darwin will ultimately prevail. Where legislation and policing have failed it’s an indication of the predominance of the “I have a right to do whatever I want” mentality that is pervasive in our society today. People are often injured badly by misuse of fireworks. Then somebody establishes a “go fund me” page for them. Lunacy I notice people in our area shooting off display type fireworks in the middle of the day. More lunacy You can’t fix stupid.
Iowa Dave

[Greg A]

Got it, Bobbie. The dogs in our neighborhood don’t handle the 4th well at all either. So many owners leave the dogs in the backyards here on the 4th and they leave to go wherever. Breaks ur heart to hear the dogs suffering who have nowhere to go and hide.

[Iowa Dave]

There’s a cause many could get into. Unattended dogs whether it’s noise, water, cover whatever.
Iowa Dave

[steve dunham]

We’ve had two large private aerial displays of firework this week
I don’t object to fireworks as long as the display is short and doesn’t go late into the evening
I personally do not set of fireworks , not because I fear the local sheriff but because I am too
cheap to buy any .
For one day out of the year it’s not that big of an issue to get overly concerned about !

[Donna D.]

I live a short distance from tribal lands, although I'm in a different state. Flying fireworks start going off in my neighborhood as soon as people can buy them! It's irritating, especially since flying fireworks aren't legal where I live. When I had a split cedar shake roof, I stretched out the backyard garden hose, just to be prepared. Fortunately never had to use it (knock wood). I feel sorry for those with pets and veterans with PTSD. And people think this stuff is fun?


What people don't set off on July 4th, they hang on to and set off New Years Eve!

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: Bobbie54... I get enough "Fireworks" just staying home. I don't need to go anywhere for it!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I wish. They are literally yards from my house and the house shakes, and Sadie is traumatized (she got caught outside in them as a pup when someone started them off at 7 PM, and it was 10 pm and they were going off all over before I found her under the back porch and managed to get her out (without ripping off the deck boards which was what I thought was going to happen.) And they don't stop.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We’ve had two large private aerial displays of firework this week
I don’t object to fireworks as long as the display is short and doesn’t go late into the evening
I personally do not set of fireworks , not because I fear the local sheriff but because I am too
cheap to buy any .
For one day out of the year it’s not that big of an issue to get overly concerned about !

I have no objection to scheduled fireworks. I can plan for those. But randomly from 8 am on July 1 (and that's generous, we've already heard them on Jun 20 and 21) until the end of the weekend of the 4th makes it impossible to deal with them. The county won't enforce the laws that do exist. So at the very least we take the trailer and get farther away from them.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I have no objection to scheduled fireworks. I can plan for those. But randomly from 8 am on July 1 (and that's generous, we've already heard them on Jun 20 and 21) until the end of the weekend of the 4th makes it impossible to deal with them. The county won't enforce the laws that do exist. So at the very least we take the trailer and get farther away from them.

Bobbie I understand your frustration but to be fair , our rural county has an area of over 1000 square miles and the Sheriff’s Department normally has only onec dispatcher and one officer on duty at any one time . On the 4th of July with traffic , auto accidents , thefts , boat accidents , and drunk drivers to expect the local sheriff to make fireworks a high priority is just not going to happen
About 6 or 7 years ago on the 4th of July weekend our neighbor was hit on our lake by a drunken teen driving a speed boat . It took over 30 minutes for the sheriff and emergency medical personnel to arrive on the scene . By the time they arrived she had passed away.
I would believe that on the 4th , fireworks are not the biggest concern for local law enforcement
Our dog doesn’t like fireworks so he hides in the bathroom but I am willing to bet my neighbors don’t appreciate his howling every time someone lights a sparkler

Have a happy and safe 4th of July

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I have no objection to scheduled fireworks. I can plan for those. But randomly from 8 am on July 1 (and that's generous, we've already heard them on Jun 20 and 21) until the end of the weekend of the 4th makes it impossible to deal with them. The county won't enforce the laws that do exist. So at the very least we take the trailer and get farther away from them.

Hi: Bobbie54... Sure hope the folks that set things off on the 1st. aren't Canadians!!! I Didn't realize that living in a rural/urban area had benefits but I guess it does. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: Bobbie54... Sure hope the folks that set things off on the 1st. aren't Canadians!!! I Didn't realize that living in a rural/urban area had benefits but I guess it does. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Not Canadians as far as I know. But if I hear any bangs on the 1st I'm going to look for a maple leaf!

[Mike Lewis]

In addition to its other recent problems, Minneapolis is having fireworks trouble already, well ahead of the 4th:

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/...violence-boom/

[arniesea]

Can you get a reservation for the PT ferry? If so go to Staircase Campground. Dogs are ok in the campground but not on the trails. Since it is in Olympic National Park, fireworks are banned.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by arniesea

Can you get a reservation for the PT ferry? If so go to Staircase Campground. Dogs are ok in the campground but not on the trails. Since it is in Olympic National Park, fireworks are banned.

Can you hear them from there? They are banned in the park I'm in now but it hasn't done much good.