Fireworks will be illegal in unincorporated parts of King County starting in 2022 after the King County Council approved a ban on April 27 with a 5-4 vote.

The legislation was sponsored by council members Joe McDermott and Claudia Balducci, and will ban all types of fireworks including sparklers and smoke bombs. Violating this law would be a misdemeanor.

McDermott in a press release cited a 2019 house fire in White Center that killed a 70-year-old man, two dogs and displaced 12 residents of a neighboring home. The fire was caused by fireworks.

“It is past time for King County to do what most cities and parks have already done. People in unincorporated King County deserve the same protections as those living in cities,” McDermott said in a press release.

The press release also cites wildfire concerns as well as injury and property damage as reasons for the ban. It states that fireworks present a clear public risk and safety hazard.

“Personal safety, fire safety, and distress to people and pets are some of the good reasons many King County cities have adopted firework regulations,” Balducci said in the press release. “It just makes sense to expand these protections to our King County residents.”

The release states that families can still watch permitted fireworks shows. State law requires a one-year waiting period before the ban can take effect, so this July 4 will be the last one that residents of unincorporated King County can legally light their own fireworks.

However, there are already some restrictions on what kinds of fireworks are allowed. For more information on what is currently legal in unincorporated King County, check here: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/local-services/news/2020/20200626-Fireworks-safety.aspx