Fireworks could light up Oklahoma skies again

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By Barbara Hoberock

Oklahoma Voice

OKLAHOMA CITY – Christopher Burney fondly remembers a childhood with large July 4 cookouts and fireworks displays that went into the early morning hours.

The self described “fireworks enthusiast” from Okmulgee was the instigator for Senate Bill 1948 that allows retailers to sell fireworks year-round and allows the sale of bottle rockets for the first time since 1981.

The measure, dubbed the Rocket’s Red Glare Act, passed both chambers and became effective in May with Gov. Kevin Stitt’s signature.

Burney, an IT security analyst, said the firework displays in his family had gotten smaller, but after the birth of his niece and nephew, Burney wanted to bring the celebration back to its full glory. 

He began researching state laws governing fireworks and found restrictions he felt were out of date.

While people could use fireworks year round in Oklahoma, they could only be sold during specified periods, even though residents could purchase them in other states, he said.

The law removes the restriction that only permitted retail sales from June 15 through July 6 and from Dec. 15 through Jan. 2.

“We’re sending Oklahomans to other states to buy fireworks that are legally able to be shot,” said Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, the House author. “It doesn’t make sense to make Oklahoma businesses be shut down when I can just drive across the state line and buy the fireworks, come back and shoot them.”

The new law also removes the prohibition on the sale and use of bottle rockets, which had been in place since July 5, 1981. The skyrockets, which come on a wooden stick, shoot dozens of feet into the air.

“When you look at the scale of fireworks today, I mean, a bottle rocket is no more dangerous than anything else out there that they make that goes up,” Fetgatter said. “They were really popular and so we just repealed that ban on bottle rockets.”

Anything that flies up in the air and it’s on a stick is essentially classified as a bottle rocket, said Abe Burrell, manager of Missile Fireworks in Edmond. 

State Fire Marshal Keith Bryant said the law does not preempt local ordinances which restrict or ban fireworks use within city limits.

“In any city or town that they are currently prohibited, they continue to be prohibited,” Bryant said.

The new law also only applies to fireworks purchased by consumers, not commercial or professional displays, which remain subject to separate permitting, licensing and safety requirements, according to Bryant’s office.

The City of Edmond has banned fireworks since the early 1900s, said Jesse Benne, Edmond Fire Department chief of prevention. Violators are subject to a fine not to exceed $200, he said.

The new law does not change that.

“Anything you would light on fire would be consumer-grade fireworks,” Benne said.

The law though limits the ability of counties to prohibit private displays on private property outside of city or town limits.

Fireworks can be banned if a county burn ban or Red Flag Fire Warning is in effect.

Burney, the Okmulgee resident, said fireworks are safer now than they were when he was a child. He said he did not advocate for the legalization of bottle rockets. Those were added during the legislative process.

“Bottle rockets were something I had when I was a child, and we had so much fun with bottle rockets, because they were inexpensive,” Burney said.

He could convert $5 into two hours of entertainment, he said.

This year, he’s planning a large, private July 4 party with family and friends. Burney said he’s spent a couple thousand dollars on fireworks for about a 20-minute show.

“I want my niece and nephew to have that same wonder of fire in the sky that I had when I was a kid,” he said. 

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