- Saratoga Springs will proceed with fireworks despite recent wildfires in the area.
- The city ensures safety by using professionals and having fire crews on standby.
- Target shooting, not fireworks, is blamed for recent fires, officials say.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Plans for a city-hosted fireworks show in Saratoga Springs will go on as planned this week, despite a recent string of wildfires in the area.
Saratoga Springs will host its annual city celebration, "Splash Days," June 10-13. The four-day event includes a bevy of community activities and ends with a fireworks display at Patriot Park Saturday evening.
AnnElise Harrison, spokesperson for Saratoga Springs, said the fireworks show is handled by a professional company and the city's public works, in addition to fire crews that will be on standby.
"We've never had a wildland fire started by a firework in the history of the city of Saratoga Springs," she told KSL on Monday.
While fireworks certainly come with their own set of risks, Harrison said there's another suspected culprit at the helm of last weekend's wildfires.
"Target shooting on state lands, that's a bit of our nemesis right now," she said. "When it comes to our city's fireworks, they're actually lit from our Patriot Park, which is closer to (Utah) Lake, so it's in a really safe area. We have all the precautions to ensure, and with that, we've never really had any issues either."
Three wildfires sparked within a span of four days on Lake Mountain — two of which were in the same area.
Crews battled the Glambert Lane Fire on Saturday afternoon burning in an area near the site where a new high school is being constructed and roughly 2 miles away from the Saratoga Springs Temple.
It grew to an estimated 170 acres and was threatening homes at one point.
The Stillwater Fire sparked Sunday morning above Saratoga Springs in Israel Canyon. It was mapped at an estimated 30 acres; as of Monday, it had not reached full containment.
Crews also battled a smaller wildfire on that same hillside last Thursday, according to Harrison.
All three fires were said to be related to target shooting, fire officials said.
"Both the Thursday and the Sunday fires were self-reported, and so our department was able to get out there very quickly," she said.
The state is under Stage 1 fire restrictions, as severe drought persists across Utah. While target shooting is still permitted on public land, Utah and federal agencies said exploding targets and tracer rounds are not allowed.
Karl Hunt, public affairs officer for Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands, warns those who intend to target shoot to do so responsibly and to adhere to restrictions within the local jurisdictions.
"We tell people make sure you shoot at a barren backstop; it's just dirt, no rocks. Don't shoot at rocks; the rocks can create that spark and shoot away from dry grass, because it is really dry," he said. "We're experiencing drought conditions here in the state, and then you couple that with the wind that we had over the weekend, and it's prime conditions for wildfire."
When it comes to personal fireworks, Saratoga Springs has restrictions in place throughout the city, largely in areas near the foothills. An interactive map outlines portions of the city where aerial fireworks are allowed and where they're banned.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Mayor Chris Carn said fire officials are reviewing the fireworks restrictions map to see if it warrants any changes.
"I spent time today with our fire department leadership, and they are currently comfortable with our restrictions map as it stands. Historically our fireworks problems haven't come from the wildland-urban interface zone, but more from undeveloped lots within existing neighborhoods, and that's where we'll keep our focus. With that said, I've asked them to go back and review the maps one more time as we come into the summer season," he wrote.
Residents wanting to light their own fireworks will have to wait a few more weeks to do so. People will have from July 2 through July 5, between 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with an extra hour on July 4, to set off fireworks — in permitted areas.
A full list of state and local fire regulations and restrictions for Saratoga Springs can be found on the city's official website.
