Now, six years later, Orem Fire Department spokesperson Shaun Hirst believes the city’s residents appear to be using safety proper safety measures and are taking better care of fireworks.

“Statistically we are better than the past, we’re getting better,” Hirst said. “We sent out on social media that residents should submerge or hose down used fireworks.”

While Hirst said the city’s residents are getting better – the most fires have been 27 on a past Fourth of July holiday – there were still plenty of fireworks-related incidents this year, keeping the fire crew busy.

Hirst also said that a few residents started shooting off fireworks on Friday, two days before the legal start date. “If there’s not a complaint we don’t hunt them down. We do patrol the no fireworks zone,” he said.

Courtesy Orem city

The weather conditions, with lower-than-normal temperatures and high humidity, also help keep fires down. This year, starting on July 2, there was a dumpster fire caused by fireworks.

On July 4 there were eight fires caused by fireworks with one that caught shrubs and bushes on fire in front of a house. The bushes then caused the house to catch on fire. The department also responded to several other house fires.

“As you can see, they were super busy with both the regular fires they attend to but there were 10 fires caused by fireworks that they also had to battle,” said Pete Wolfley, Orem city communications manager.

Hirst believes part of the reason there were relatively fewer holiday fires is because it landed on a Tuesday. If it were on the weekend, he expects there would have been more fires. As is, the department had 20 firefighters working on July 4, plus one extra brush unit.

Although they were kept very busy over the holiday, the fire department was able to take care of all of the fires on its own and did not call other cities for assistance.

Isaac Hale Daily Herald

“We’re super proud of the team because they handled this extreme increase in call volume with swiftness and dexterity,” Wolfley said. “Sometimes this kind of spike in fires requires us to call outside agencies for coverage help but the crews were incredibly efficient and managed it all themselves.”

During fireworks season, Hirst suggested that resident hose down rooftops and clean gutters of debris and dried leaves.

Fireworks will next be allowed July 22-25, for Pioneer Day celebrations. Weather conditions appear to be getting hotter with less humidity and ripe for dry grass fires, as well as dumpster fires.

Hirst is encouraging residents to keep on a positive trajectory of safety when using fireworks and soaking them with water before disposing of them and to stay out of prohibited areas.