FIREWORKS: Ban works best

Much appreciated was Jesse Engel’s article on fireworks. This is an issue that involves our whole community. Idaho Statute, Title 18 defines public nuisance as harm to others or themselves. Disturbing the peace is another infraction that would apply.

Trying to sleep, I see huge fireworks go off with embers reaching our fence and backyard. We live next to Canfield Mountain where the whole mountain could go up in flames and the entire neighborhood wiped out. Police reports show that they were inundated with phone calls.

Sheriff Robert Norris, along with our Fire Department, supported the ban on outside burning and supported enforcement against illegal fireworks. He also supported expanding the discussion on ALL stakeholders involving illegal and legal fireworks under the current drought conditions.

Since it is already illegal, why hasn’t our Board of Commissioners, our mayors and councils of our towns and cities agreed to ban the fireworks? They all have the responsibility to keep our communities safe. Instead they are supporting clear and present danger.

For those of you who feel the same, please encourage your family, friends, neighbors, etc., to email your concerns to your board members at kcbocc@kcgov.us or any of the entities above. You also have the option to write and send your concerns to The Press under an Opinion Section.

I don’t think waiting for a disaster to happen before anyone does anything about it is the way to go. We, together as a community, can effect change.

JOANN LOKKEN

Coeur d’Alene