Fire officials OK New Year's fireworks, but be careful - KOTA Territory News

Fire officials OK New Year's fireworks, but be careful

After fireworks shows across KOTA Territory were canceled this Fourth of July due to dry conditions, many are itching to light the fuse on New Year's Eve.
 
And with the recent snow, local fire officials are giving the go-ahead.

But there's still a lot of very dry grass in the area, so be careful if you decide to shoot off any pyrotechnics.

You should have water and shovels nearby, and make sure all fireworks are cold before leaving them unattended.
 
"The grasses are real dry yet and there's patches where the snow, especially today with this wind, will blow off," said Beth Hermanson with South Dakota Wildland Fire. "just a little bit of wind will carry that heat to those dry grasses and it's off to the races where fire's concerned."
 
Fireworks are permitted in parts of Pennington County until the end of Jan. 1.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• You have to be at least a mile outside city limits to shoot off fireworks.
• Fireworks are not allowed on Forest Service land or within the Black Hills Fire Protection District.
• You need the landowner's permission if you plan to launch fireworks on private property.
• You can be cited for shooting fireworks at or from cars, or causing general disruptions in traffic.