Whitefish bans fireworks, City Beach display called off

The Fourth of July fireworks display over Whitefish Lake has been officially called off. The decision came from Whitefish Fire Chief Joe Page on Thursday who noted ongoing dry conditions and predicted winds of 15-20 miles per hour for Saturday.

"If embers get outside of the lake, that's our fear," Page said.

"We don't have the manpower to be all the way around the lake and where embers drop is arbitrary."

Whitefish City Council at a special meeting Wednesday morning unanimously approved an emergency ordinance banning the discharge of fireworks inside city limits.

The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce’s professional display over Whitefish Lake was given an exemption, but Page was given the authority to decide to cancel the event if conditions were determined to be unsafe.

Both the Chamber of Commerce and City Manager Chuck Stearns said they support the decision.

Page had originally asked to ban only private displays in the city, but during Wednesday’s meeting he urged council to ban all fireworks, including the chamber’s show. The recommendation came on the heels of comment by Police Chief Bill Dial, who said his department will be stretched thin because more people will head to City Beach instead of lighting off fireworks at home.

“There should be no fireworks,” Page said. “Given that the crowd may be beyond what we can handle, it’s not just personal fireworks that are the concern.”

Dial said if there is a countywide ban on fireworks, that will increase the number of people who come to Whitefish.

“Ban them all,” he said. “I know it has a big economic impact. It’s hard enough for the department to manage the illegal fireworks, but to go on with the celebrations is a huge challenge.”

Hot and dry conditions forced the restriction, which cancels the two-day period of July 3 and July 4 when fireworks are normally allowed in the city. The National Weather Service has said that last month was the warmest June on record and the driest for Flathead Valley since 1977.

“The current weather conditions — lack of rainfall and warm temperatures — has created concern about the start of a wildfire,” Page said. “We want to be preventative rather than reactive.”

Iron Horse, which normally sets off a fireworks display as permitted by the city, will not be allowed to hold its fireworks show.

Councilor Frank Sweeney implored council to consider canceling the chamber fireworks display as well.

 “I don’t know how, as a city and chamber, we can have fireworks with the risk,” he said. “What applies to the public, should apply to the city. If we take this step for the public because of the weather, we should too.”

Sweeney asked council to not place the burden solely on the fire chief in deciding whether to cancel the chamber event.

“I want to give our assurance to Page that we would like him to exercise his best discretion,” he said. “And know he can make the best decision should the weather and circumstances warrant canceling it.”

The ordinance is effective immediately and runs for up to 90 days. The exemption for the chamber’s display could be revoked if the city determines that “weather and fire conditions become of such increased risk of fire danger that the ban is needed to protect public health and safety,” according to the ordinance.

The decision to cancel the chamber event can be made by the fire chief, fire marshal or the city manager.

Violation of the fireworks ban carries a fine of $300 for the first offense, and a fine of $500 for the second or subsequent offenses, or up to six months in jail.

Whitefish is the only municipality in Flathead County that, in a normal year, allows for the discharge of fireworks in the city limits.  

Flathead County commissioners on Thursday voted to ban fireworks in the county. Lake, Lincoln and Missoula counties on Tuesday all banned fireworks use.

Fireworks are prohibited in Glacier National Park, on national forest land and Montana state parks.