By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Despite the spring rains, Ellis County Rural Fire Director Darin Myers is not in favor of allowing the discharge of July 4th holiday fireworks in unincorporated areas of the county.

“From a safety standpoint, you can’t tell if it’s going to be 90 degrees every day for the next three weeks and dry out,” Myers pointed out. “It can be windy.”

“Firetrucks responding out in the county is a lot different than within the city–longer distances, different types of grass, different types of winds–so you’ve got to take that all in to account.”

During Monday night’s Ellis County commission meeting, the commissioners asked Myers to find out what the fireworks policy is in surrounding counties and to bring that information along with a draft resolution to the next commission meeting.

“This is the first time in how many years (since April 2011) the entire state of Kansas is drought-free,” noted Commissioner Barb Wasinger.  “As much as I hate fireworks, I think we’re a little bit over a barrel on this–without having a drought designation that people will want to have fireworks.”

Last year Myers recommended against allowing fireworks but the commissioners voted in favor of it.

According to Myers, rural firefighters responded to two fireworks-related fires last July. The city of Hays is allowing fireworks from July 2-4 during the hours of 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.