By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
Worried about parched landscapes and precious water supplies, jurisdictions around Lincoln County hope an education campaign – and enforcement in only the most life-threatening situations – will lessen the use of illegal fireworks along the coast this weekend.
But most can only hope such a campaign will have some effect, given the flood of out-of-town visitors expected for the three-day July Fourth weekend.
As more and more cities around Oregon enact bans on any type of fireworks because of tinder dry conditions, only the city of Waldport and the neighboring Bayshore community have taken such action locally.
The Waldport City Council banned the sale or use of any type of fireworks inside the city for the rest of the year after fire danger increased dramatically and water supplies began shrinking.
But even Waldport officials are realistic about the biggest issue with any ban – enforcing it.
“We know we’re not going to stop people from setting off fireworks,” said City Manager Dann Cutter. “I just want to give (sheriff’s) deputies a tool … if they encounter a problem, they have this additional tool.”
But Cutter is clear that the city wants deputies – Waldport spends $350,000 a year contracting with the sheriff’s office for law enforcement coverage – to cite people if they find them violating state law on illegal fireworks or the city’s ban.
Lincoln County commissioners discussed issuing a ban for unincorporated areas of the county, but decided against that Monday.
“It’s really too late,” Sheriff Curtis Landers said.
Landers said the July 4 weekend is an “all hands on deck” operation for the sheriff’s office. But even that can’t begin to cover all the issues that can arise – oftentimes more volatile situations fueled by alcohol — including fireworks.
“We have an appropriate number of deputies for the population we serve … but it’s the big influx of people,” he said, that make for an extremely busy time for all law enforcement, including departments in Newport, Toledo and Lincoln City. “It’s never typical but it’s a much higher call volume.”
Landers said the sheriff’s office will have eight deputies and its marine patrol assigned to Waldport and the Bayshore area on Saturday during Beachcomber Days and for that community’s fireworks show that night.
Landers said he also talked with the head of the Lincoln County Fire Defense Board – a committee of chiefs from all fire districts in the county – to see if they were willing to enforce Oregon’s laws against illegal fireworks. They too recognized the impossibility of such enforcement, Landers said, and are usually swamped with medical, traffic and other calls over the holiday.
“The only thing we can do at this point is to educate as much as we can,” Landers said. “… and when it’s happening we can respond as best as we can.”
Bayshore ban
However, in the Bayshore community just to the north of Waldport, the homeowners association there also used its powers to prohibit fireworks Saturday and Sunday. The community has more than 100 vacation rentals among its 700 homes and fireworks are especially popular among the long line of rentals on Oceania Drive overlooking the beach.
Steve Sager, a member of the Bayshore HOA board, said fireworks are illegal year-round in the community except for July 3-4. The board voted earlier this month to prohibit fireworks on those two days as well – at least for this year.
“We put a pause on it for this year,” Sager said. “We thought the communities (of Waldport and Bayshore) should stand together.”
As for enforcement?
“We’re just hoping for the best when it comes to enforcement,” he said. “We hope that people are just good neighbors.”
Jamie Michel, vice president of business development for Sweet Homes Vacation Getaways, said her company is sending fireworks flyers from the sheriff’s office and cities to their guests. Sweet Homes uses an electronic guest book for each renter, Michel said, allowing it to send updated information on fireworks and other specialized messages.
Education and hope
Most coastal jurisdictions hope that the return this year of large, city-sponsored public displays will diminish the use of illegal fireworks – bought in Washington State or Indian reservations. There was a noticeable increase in private parties shooting off illegal fireworks last year when pandemic restrictions forced the cancellation of displays from Yachats to Lincoln City. This year all but Yachats will resume fireworks shows.
Still, Landers said Monday that he wants people to call the sheriff’s non-emergency line – 541-265-0777 — if there is a non-dangerous issue with illegal fireworks. For dangerous of life-threatening situations, calling 9-1-1 is appropriate.
“Do call … depending on the circumstance we can respond if we are close by,” he said.
But to be clear, the sheriff’s office clarified Thursday “watching illegal fireworks being used, set or displayed in the air is not a qualifying reason to call 9-1-1.”
Any type of fireworks are prohibited in state parks and on ocean beaches – and under jurisdiction of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department or Oregon State Police.
After an outpouring of complaints last year, the Yachats City Council talked a little about ways to lessen the impact on local residents when illegal fireworks went on into the night. That included possibly using volunteers or paying extra to the city’s code enforcement contractor to patrol problem areas. Those were ultimately rejected.
Requests this year for a ban similar to Waldport’s was also deemed unenforceable. Instead, the city mailed the sheriff’s fireworks warning flyer to vacation rental managers and try other educational tools.
Landers also confirmed Thursday that a deputy will be assigned to the Yachats area between noon and midnight Sunday