Fireworks canceled due to expected severe weather

The Forest Lake American Legion, after discussion with the city's Emergency Management team, have canceled the Fourth of July fireworks.

The decision came after a roundtable discussion over the expected severe weather tomorrow night and the impact of boaters being out on the lake to watch the fireworks, in addition to the hundreds who watch from Lakeside Memorial Park.

"The worst place to be in a storm is on the boat on the water," Fire Chief Al Newman said.

The cancellation came the day before the fireworks show instead of waiting out the weather because of regulations around fireworks storage, which requires special permitting and licensing. The fireworks themselves are crafted specifically for this show, and are delivered on the date of the show. If the Legion staff were to cancel the show, there would be issues with where to legally and safely store them until the rescheduled time.

The Legion has said it will be planning a new date to hold the fireworks show, but that date is yet to be determined.