Extreme drought, fire danger push mountain resorts to douse July Fourth fireworks

Jurassic Fireworks in Adams County, owned by the Elliott Family, has sold fireworks in Colorado for decades. “This to me might be the worst year ever,” says owner Frank Elliott after many Colorado towns and cities have banned fireworks this year because of continued drought and fire danger.

Grace Hood/Colorado Public Radio

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Jurassic Fireworks in Adams County, owned by the Elliott Family, has sold fireworks in Colorado for decades. “This to me might be the worst year ever,” says owner Frank Elliott after many Colorado towns and cities have banned fireworks this year because of continued drought and fire danger.

Grace Hood/Colorado Public Radio

Breckenridge is the latest Colorado town to cancel its traditional July 4 fireworks show because of extreme drought and wildfire danger.

Cancellations are a familiar refrain as hot and dry conditions persist across the West. Just ask Glenwood Springs. For City Manager Debra Figueroa, it was “an incredibly tough decision.”

The city was one of the first to make the dramatic announcement during a contentious city council meeting in May. Like many mountain towns, tourism is key, with summer traffic and Independence Day fireworks right at the center. Glenwood’s sister resort towns are getting creative about how they replace fireworks. In Aspen, 50 drones will light up the night sky. Steamboat and Glenwood will both pay for professional laser light and music shows.

Read the rest of the story at Colorado Public Radio.