Airport fireworks display postponed due to fire danger

Outdoor burn ban applies to campfires, barbecues using charcoal briquettes, residential burning

The commercial fireworks show scheduled Sunday night for the Ocean Shores Municipal Airport has been postponed because of the statewide and local fire danger.

Ocean Shores Fire Chief David Bathke on Thursday noted the state and county already is under an outdoor burning ban effective Sept. 6.

“With the present level of wildland fire danger set to “very high/extreme,” in addition to these orders issued yesterday, and in light of the extremely dry dangerous wildfire conditions that are present within our city limits, it is our professional opinions and decision as stewards of the city of Ocean shores that the fireworks display scheduled for Sunday night Sept. 10 at the city airport shall be postponed,” said a statement from Bathke.

In addition, all recreational campfires, barbecues using charcoal briquettes or any other solid fuels, all residential burning, and land-clearing burning are “strictly prohibited until further notice.”

The private fireworks show was going to be open to the public to watch. For the second year under an agreement with the city, the display is done by a company as a way to showcase products to prospective commercial customers.

“This is a company that comes in and they are actually demonstrating fireworks to their customers, and they are paying us for the privilege to be there and we get to enjoy it,” Dingler told the City Council last week.

The company, Jakes Fireworks of Winlock along with Cutting Edge Fireworks, also did the fireworks show for the Hawks Fan Fest last year.

This year’s demonstration was being called the Washington Shoot Off. The Cutting Edge website says it will be a “cutting edge product demo.”

There was no word yet on when it would be rescheduled.