The Monday, Feb. 9, Snoqualmie City Council meeting was fiery as the council unanimously voted to ban all aerial fireworks, effective Jan. 1, 2016. The vote raised penalties from $124 to $250 for illegal firework possession and $750 for illegal discharge.

The contentious amendment to city code was introduced on Monday, Jan. 12. It was inspired by a July 4, 2014 fire on Snoqualmie Ridge’s  Fairway Avenue. The fire caused an estimated $700,000 in damages and required services from 35 firefighters from Snoqualmie, Eastside Fire & Rescue in Fall City and North Bend, and Bellevue paramedics. Cause of the fire was reported to be an aerial firework, most likely a bottle rocket that ignited the home’s cedar shake roof.

Police Chief Steve McCulley weighed in on the enforceability of the new regulations.

“We will get more aggressive in our education and signage,” he began, “which would be a good start as a warning of what’s coming so we can get compliance. I think what was smartly decided was no aerial display. If something goes up, it’s easy for us to spot and move in that area and take care of it.”

Councilman Bryan Holloway spoke about the safety precautions his neighborhood takes during Fourth of July celebrations, but supported the amendment.

“I’m a participant in it,” he said, “but having said that, I also have a neighbor whose life is miserable on July Fourth… So, I have a hard time putting my discretionary celebration of the Fourth of July against her quality of life for that day.”

Public opposition was strong — five city residents spoke against the new regulation while only one showed support.

Members of the opposition included Carlos DeImus and Marie Jackson from Kiwanis Club of Snoqualmie Valley. The club opens fireworks stands in North Bend and Snoqualmie each year to raise money for scholarships for high-school students.

“Part of what we do at the Kiwanis stand is really educating people,” DeImus began. “Our whole approach has been we only sell legal fireworks and we raise probably the majority of our budgets based on those fireworks stands.”

He said their “biggest fear” is, without them, people might go to a stand selling illegal fireworks.

Jackson agreed that education is a crucial part of selling fireworks, and reminded the council, “the money we raise goes 100 percent to high school scholarships that we give out every year.”

“I hear the Kiwanis in regard to education,” Holloway stated,”but we did have a house that burned down. Fortunately there was nobody in there. If you ask me to do nothing as a result of that, you’re asking me to institute a lottery that just maybe somebody gives up their house to support education of our high school students.”

Councilwoman Kathi Prewitt took a similar stand.

“While I feel for the Kiwanis,” Prewitt said, “because I feel they are a strong organization, particularly on the high school level, and I get the sense of community that people are grasping for. I think that can be done through other means… I’m not concerned about the people that are buying at the Kiwanis stand, it’s the people who go to the reservation that are (buying and) shooting off. If I don’t give tools to our police department to at least try to battle that I’ve been irresponsible.”

For the full text of the amendment, visit the city’s website and search the Snoqualmie Municipal Code, sections 8.30.070 and 8.30.090.