Medical Lake Mayor bans fireworks to prevent wildfires, city still recovering from Gray Fire

MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. - Last week, the city of Medical Lake banned the use, sale and discharge of fireworks within city limits for the rest of the year.

This comes in response to the ongoing recovery efforts from last summer's Gray Fire.

The Medical Lake City Council agreed with Mayor Terri Cooper's order during its meeting on June 4.

Currently, the sale and use of all consumer fireworks in Spokane County is illegal.

In Medical Lake, the city previously allowed fireworks to celebrate Independence Day on July 4th.

This year, Mayor Cooper has ordered a ban on fireworks so victims of the Gray Fire aren't triggered.

"We have probably 40 of those homes that have walls up a few people have moved back in, so they're not even rebuilt yet. And so every time the wind blows or the the fire truck leaves the station, you know, where they, you know, something happens that triggers some of those memories," said Cooper.

Mayor Cooper said the city will sill host their own controlled fireworks display at the city's 4th of July festival.

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