Fireworks, activities to usher in New Year

MAT-SU — This New Year’s Eve, a number of communities and organizations are planning to celebrate and emergency responders are nervously eyeing a recent change to fireworks rules.

First the festivities. Wasilla, as it does every year, will host a fireworks display at 8 p.m. New Year’s Eve on Wasilla Lake, sponsored by the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce. Attendees can tune their car radios to Country Legends 100.9.

And Big Lake also is having a party from 9 p.m. to midnight at the new Big Lake Recreation Center. The event features fireworks, games and a bonfire. It’s a family friendly event, so no liquor.

The Mat-Su Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is partnering with the Army National Guard for a free night of fun for teens as well. Youths ages 14 to 18 are invited to the AT&T Sports Complex from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. to play games and video games. Snacks are available for purchase and there will be a talent show with a $350 cash prize.

And now the rules:

• Houston has always had the most lax fireworks laws of any local government in the Valley. Fireworks are permissible there year-round, so long as they’re used on private property with the landowner’s permission.

• Wasilla has that same rule about private property, but only allows fireworks from 6 p.m., Dec. 31 until 1 a.m., Jan. 1. Wasilla also stipulates that fireworks can’t be used within 50 feet of lakes, 500 feet of automotive shops or gas stations or places where flammable liquids are stored, and within 250 feet of churches, libraries, schools and health care facilities.

• Palmer has the same rules as Wasilla and requires someone 21 years or older to supervise.

• The big change this year in fireworks regulations is with the Mat-Su Borough, which decided earlier this year to allow fireworks during that same 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. window. The same rules apply as in Palmer, except there is no buffer between fireworks and water bodies and the borough extended the buffer between fireworks and health care facilities, nursing homes, libraries, schools and churches to 1,250 feet.

Borough firefighters will be ready to respond throughout the night, though the borough won’t call in any more firefighters than it usually does this time of year.

“We staff up typically on New Year’s Eve anyway because there’s a lot of bonfire parties that night,” said Dennis Brodigan, the borough’s director of emergency services. “Now we’re going to add legal fireworks to the mix and we don’t know what to expect. We don’t know if this is going to increase the use of fireworks or if the people that were going to use fireworks were going to do it anyway.”

He said that while forest fire danger is lower in the winter, that doesn’t mean fireworks can’t wind up setting a structure or vehicle on fire.

Which is why, he said, if it’s windy tonight people should check and make double sure there isn’t a burn ban in effect. If there is, fireworks are not permitted.

“That’s all we need is one firework setting off a house and then with high winds …” having the blaze spread to the neighboring homes, Brodigan said.

But aside from house and vehicle fires, the biggest thing that has borough emergency responders keeping a wary eye out are fireworks accidents.

“I think the biggest concern is injuries — is bodily harm to — most likely, children. But it’s also a time for celebration and fireworks and alcohol don’t mix, like many things,” Brodigan said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.