2024 marks the City’s first summer in restricting the personal use of aerial fireworks, joining King County and many other cities in an effort to decrease fire risk and danger to people and animals.
The ordinance bans the personal use of aerial fireworks within North Bend city limits, removing “special fireworks” from the definition of those authorized for sale, use, discharge, and possession within the City. To provide law enforcement consistency for Snoqualmie-North Bend Police, the ordinance is modeled closely after the City of Snoqualmie’s 2016 fireworks ordinance.
Although the new amendment to the Fireworks Code was passed by the Council in December, 2022, (NBMC 8.20.010), the State of Washington requires that fireworks ordinances such as these must wait one year after adoption to take effect, so the amendment took effect in December, 2023.
During the December 6, 2022, City Council meeting, Councilmembers shared a wide range of viewpoints on the topic of fireworks, recognizing their use as a valued tradition for many, and acknowledging the danger fireworks pose to people, animals, homes and businesses, and surrounding forests.
While personal use of aerial fireworks is prohibited within city limits, the ordinance allows for community fireworks events.
What is allowed
• Ground fireworks
• Hand-held sparkling devices
• Smoke devices
What is not allowed: “Special fireworks” means any fireworks, generally large, not designed primarily for sale at retail to the public during prescribed dates and which produce visible or audible effects through combustion, deflagration, or detonation, and which must comply with federal regulations pursuant to the rules of the State Fire Marshal relating to fireworks and are classified as Class B explosives by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
• Aerial devices including bottle rockets and missiles
• Firecrackers (illegal statewide)
• Explosive devices (illegal statewide)
Looking for upcoming events in the Snoqualmie Valley with fireworks?
- July 4: Red, White and BOOM
- July 4: The Carnation 4th of July Celebration
- August 10 – 11: The Festival at Mt. Si