Fireworks in Blackwell 2024: When and where you can use them

The City of Blackwell is preparing for the annual Independence Day celebration, and the Blackwell Police Department is informing residents about the use of fireworks within the city limits. Here’s a quick rundown of the city’s firecracker ordinance.

With a proper permit, fireworks may be sold in the city limits between June 22 and July 4. All areas displaying non-permissible fireworks for sale must post a sign stating:

“These fireworks may not be discharged within the corporate limits of the City of Blackwell.”

A written notice with the same message must be given to customers when they buy non-permissible fireworks.

Blackwell residents and their guests may discharge permissible fireworks at their residences or businesses, including adjoining streets and sidewalks, on July 2 and 3 between 10 am and 10 pm, and starting at 10 a.m. on July 4 through 1 am on July 5.

People who set off fireworks must clean up and remove the fireworks and other debris. Any person who breaks the city ordinance regarding fireworks can be fined $100.

Non-permissible fireworks include aerial shell kit-reloadable tubes, aerial spinners, helicopters, mines, missile-type rockets, multiple-tube devices, Roman candles, shells, stick-type rockets, bottle rockets, ground-audible devices, including chasers; and firecrackers larger than two-inch Black Cats or similar firecrackers.

Other firecrackers may be banned under state law. Also prohibited are: spleen-splitters, whisker biscuits, honkey lighters, hoosker doos, hoosker don’ts, cherry bombs, nipsy daises with or without scooter sticks and whistlin’ kitty chasers.

Permissible fireworks include cone fountains, crackling devices, cylindrical fountains, flitter sparklers, ground spinners, illuminating torches, wheels, novelty items and Black Cats measuring two inches or less, along with similar firecrackers.

The full language of the ordinances is listed below, courtesy of the Blackwell Police Department

•With a proper permit, fireworks may be sold inside the City of Blackwell between June 22nd and July 4th. All areas displaying for sale non-permissible fireworks shall include a sign which shall state “These fireworks may not be discharged within the corporate limits of the City of Blackwell.” A written notice providing such same message concerning non-permissible fireworks shall be delivered to the customer upon the purchase of non-permissible fireworks.

•Residents of the city and their guests may discharge, ignite or in any manner aid, assist or abet in the discharging or igniting of any permissible fireworks at their residences or businesses, to include on the streets and sidewalks immediately contiguous and adjacent to such residences or businesses, within the corporate limits of the city on July 2nd and July 3rd between the hours of 10:00am and 10:00pm, and on July 4th from 10:00am to 1:00am July 5th.

•No person who discharges permissible fireworks as provided in this section or is the owner or person in lawful possession of the real property upon which the fireworks were discharged, to include on the streets and sidewalks immediately contiguous and adjacent to such real property, shall fail to clean up, and dispose of, in a proper trash container, all trash and residue of the expended fireworks within one hour of the completion of such firework discharge event.

•Except as otherwise permitted by this Article, the discharge, firing or use of non-permissible fireworks within the corporate limits of the city is hereby prohibited. Provided however, the transportation of fireworks in their unopened original packaging in a motor vehicle within the corporate limits of the City is not prohibited. Except as otherwise permitted by this Article, no person shall discharge, fire or use any non-permissible fireworks within the corporate limits of the City. Any person convicted of a violation of this subsection, shall be fined a maximum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), plus court costs, fees and state assessments.