Asotin County officials address fireworks complaints after house fire and injuries

ASOTIN — After the loss of a house, numerous fire calls and at least one serious injury, Asotin County officials are once again hearing complaints about fireworks.

At Monday’s commission meeting, Chairperson Brian Shinn said he received plenty of feedback from residents and a fire chief over the weekend and some are calling for tightening of the rules in the unincorporated areas of Asotin County.

Shinn said Washington state requires changes to be made a year in advance, so 2026 is the earliest any modifications could be put in place.

“We’re aware of the concerns,” Shinn said, “and we will be talking about it.”

Last time fireworks were on the agenda at town hall meetings or hearings, the “overwhelming majority” of residents spoke against an outright ban, Shinn said. However, shortening the number of days private displays are allowed may be more palatable after the number of close calls and the destruction of a house on Poplar Street in west Clarkston last week.

In addition, one person was taken to the hospital by ambulance after being hit in the face by fireworks at Lincoln Middle School in the Clarkston Heights. Six grass fires erupted, and agencies responded to multiple fireworks complaints.

“One thing we’ve always made clear is that the community display at Adams Field would not be affected by any changes for private fireworks,” Shinn said.

The county’s ordinance was last tweaked in 2017 after many heated meetings. At the time, the cities of Asotin and Clarkston were on the same page, and fireworks could only be discharged July 3-5. The city of Clarkston later shortened its ordinance to limit fireworks to July 4 and New Year’s Eve only.

Asotin County Fire Chief Noel Hardin said he plans to talk to the commissioners about fireworks at their July 22 meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Courthouse Annex in Asotin.

In other county news:

A burn ban for Asotin County was approved with a 3-0 vote. Fire Marshal Karst Riggers said the triple-digit heat and dry conditions warrant the ban at this time. The only exceptions are campfires at Chief Timothy Park and approved propane fire rings and barbecues. As of July 1, beach fires are not allowed along Snake River Road.

The board gave the green light to a zone change for 1315 Highland Ave. in Clarkston to allow an Early Childhood Program to operate at the Community of Christ Church.

The 1.1-acre lot will now shift from low/medium density residential to a public/semi-public zone. The proposal was recommended for approval by the Asotin County Planning Commission and approved with a 3-0 vote by the commissioners.

Operating a public educational facility required the zone change, Riggers said, and none of the neighbors who were notified spoke against the proposal. The Head Start program can serve a maximum of 19 kids between the ages of 3 and 4.

Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com. You can follow her ono X @newsfromkerri.