Drought Conditions Don't Phase Gravette's Firework Ordinance
By: Kyle Leyenberger
Updated: July 3, 2012
Drought conditions have prompted most cities to ban the use of fireworks in Northwest Arkansas but the city of Gravette is bucking the trend.
The city is one of the only places people can legally light a fuse this Fourth of July, and Mayor Byron Warren wants his citizens to enjoy Independence Day.
"I think the main point is independence and the people have the right to celebrate," he says. "It's always been a tradition, and in these times we want to make sure our traditions, we keep as much as we can."
Byron is allowing personal fireworks inside the city limits for the third and fourth of July, despite the drought conditions.
"They're not allowed to shoot anything into the air, nothing airborne," he says. "We have an ordinance."
Warren says even that rule is tough to enforce, and he believes an all out ban would be impossible.
"People are going to do it anyways," he says. "So lets embrace them."
Marjorie Stewart lives next to a field of dry grass. She says the landscape is in no shape for sparklers.
"Everything's dying, people's gardens, cattle," she says. "Hopefully our firemen are watered up and ready in case there is a problem."
The mayor has extra brush trucks staffed for the holiday, and says if fires start popping up, he will reconsider a ban.
The city is one of the only places people can legally light a fuse this Fourth of July, and Mayor Byron Warren wants his citizens to enjoy Independence Day.
"I think the main point is independence and the people have the right to celebrate," he says. "It's always been a tradition, and in these times we want to make sure our traditions, we keep as much as we can."
Byron is allowing personal fireworks inside the city limits for the third and fourth of July, despite the drought conditions.
"They're not allowed to shoot anything into the air, nothing airborne," he says. "We have an ordinance."
Warren says even that rule is tough to enforce, and he believes an all out ban would be impossible.
"People are going to do it anyways," he says. "So lets embrace them."
Marjorie Stewart lives next to a field of dry grass. She says the landscape is in no shape for sparklers.
"Everything's dying, people's gardens, cattle," she says. "Hopefully our firemen are watered up and ready in case there is a problem."
The mayor has extra brush trucks staffed for the holiday, and says if fires start popping up, he will reconsider a ban.
