Are fireworks legal where you live? Ohio fire officials issue reminders

LAKE COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) – If setting off firecrackers, bottle rockets or Roman candles are your thing, don’t come to Willoughby to celebrate the 4th of July.

”Willoughby, along with several other cities in Northeast Ohio, opted out of the law, which basically means they’re still illegal in the city,” said Captain Mike Kocab with the Willoughby Fire Department.

Unless banned in your local jurisdiction , like here in Willoughby, Ohioans can discharge consumer grade fireworks, generally between the hours of 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.

The state fire marshal goes on to say the 1.4 grade fireworks can be discharged July 3, 4 and 5, and the Saturday and Sunday immediately before and after the Fourth of July.

More regulations include:

• No person under the age of 18 is permitted to handle or discharge fireworks
• Persons under 18 cannot be within 150-feet of discharge
• No person can use fireworks while in possession or control of liquor, beer or controlled substance

“For Willoughby, for example, we have very small lots. So when you shoot up a projectile a couple hundred feet in the air, the wind blows it a few houses away and if we have dry conditions, you can have fires in the yards. Stuff can land on people’s roofs,” said Capt. Kocab.

As for enforcement, Capt. Kocab says the law can get confusing, since some may not understand local bans supersede state law.

“If they run into somebody that is shooting off fireworks and get a complaint about it, they will go up to them, interact with them, inform them of the law that it did not change and request that they stop shooting the fireworks off,” he said.

Where legal, consumers can discharge fireworks on their own property or another person’s property with the owners’ consent.

But for the ultimate celebration, fire officials say leave it to the experts.

“I would encourage people to leave it to the professionals and watch the displays in their area,” Kocab said.

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