Dry conditions are already affecting July 4th celebrations in Pueblo.
Public shows are still on the books, but residents won’t be able to light off any fireworks at home.
Effective midnight on Monday, Pueblo City Fire Chief Shawn Shelton placed the city under high fire danger status until further notice. It means that no open burning can happen within Pueblo city limits. This restriction includes recreational and portable fire pits, Tiki torches, and all fireworks.
The Pueblo Fire Department says the sale of fireworks could also be in jeopardy. As of Tuesday, there was a resolution to ban fireworks sales, a decision the fire department says is pending Pueblo City Council’s approval.
If approved it will put businesses in a tough spot, but city leaders say the top priority right now is keeping people safe, especially with all the recent fires that have left devastating effects.
Deputy Fire Chief Rick Potter said, "We just have to be mindful of that and that’s what we’re concerned with is making sure that we’re protecting all of our citizens, and that’s why we’re doing this."
A fireworks business in Pueblo says if this ban happens it will be a huge hit to the community, impacting jobs and people who count on that extra income.
At this time, current restrictions do not apply to outdoor gas or charcoal cooking grills, or protected welding operations. Outdoor smoking is also permitted, but only in areas that don’t have combustible materials.
