As families prepare to light fireworks this Fourth of July, firefighters in Chelsea are warning that the biggest fire danger may come after the show is over, when leftover debris can continue smoldering in yards and fields.
In Oklahoma, where dry grass, hot temperatures and wind are common this time of year, firefighters said a single smoldering piece of firework debris can spark something much bigger. While it only takes a few seconds to light a firework, firefighters said it can take hours for some debris to cool completely.
The risk is heightened by the weather. Oklahoma’s heat wave is expected to continue through the holiday, with a triple-digit heat index and gusty south winds of up to 25 miles per hour. Firefighters said those hot, dry conditions can allow a single ember to land in dry grass or brush and quickly grow into a grass fire.
Chelsea Fire Department Chief Craig Sampson said the danger can be especially high in wooded areas where fuel remains on the ground.
“Drier last time, but like this time of year is like I’ve been saying, there’s a bunch of leaves on the ground still, so a heavy wooded area, or even a wooded area, there’s a lot of fuel underneath,” Sampson said.
After battling a wildfire a few months ago, the Chelsea Fire Department said the holiday weekend is one of the times crews watch most closely.
“One, the grass might be green, but the vegetation and the stuff underneath it is very dead. So, even a day of normal, you know, rainy day, a week ago, dry today, could set the woods on fire, so that could be really hard, especially with the wind blowing the way it is,” Sampson said.
To reduce the risk, firefighters recommend placing used fireworks in a bucket of water and never throwing them straight into the trash. They also urged people to end their Fourth of July celebrations with a quick walk around the yard to look for any firework debris that may have been missed.
