With the 4th of July approaching and the surrounding landscape still tinder-dry following a series of nearby wildfires, the Pocatello Fire Department is asking residents to exercise serious caution with holiday fireworks.
The warning comes on the heels of two significant fire events in the Pocatello area this month. On June 18, a brush fire ignited near railroad tracks on North Harrison Avenue after a man cutting steel sent sparks into dry roadside grass. The blaze spread quickly, illustrating just how volatile current conditions have become.
“This just shows how dry things are,” said Capt. Nate Houser. “Within seconds it was moving, taking off fast.”
Then on Father’s Day, a series of wildfires broke out along the corridor between Pocatello and Inkom. The largest of those fires burned an estimated 220 acres. Investigators believe sparks from a Union Pacific freight train may have ignited the blazes. Before crews could contain the fires, flames burned to within 50 feet of nearby homes — a sobering reminder of how quickly wildfire can threaten residential areas in southeast Idaho.
Why This Year Is More Dangerous
Fire officials point to a warmer, drier-than-normal winter as the root cause of the elevated fire risk. Grasses and brush across the region absorbed less moisture heading into the summer months, leaving the landscape particularly susceptible to ignition. That combination of dry fuels and summer heat creates conditions where a single spark — whether from a freight train, a power tool, or a wayward firework — can rapidly escalate into a serious threat.
Interim Fire Chief Shane Grow put it plainly: “With conditions as dry as they are, we need everyone to use caution and make responsible choices.”
City fire, police, and public works departments are all taking extra precautions throughout the holiday period in anticipation of elevated risk.
What Is and Isn’t Legal in Pocatello
Residents planning to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with fireworks need to know the rules before lighting anything. Within Pocatello city limits, only so-called “Safe and Sane” fireworks are permitted. Those are devices that stay on the ground and produce effects without launching into the air or exploding — think sparklers, fountains, cone fireworks, and smoke devices.
Any firework that leaves the ground, travels through the air, or detonates is illegal within city limits without a special permit. That category includes bottle rockets, aerial shells, and similar products commonly sold at out-of-state stands or roadside tents.
Fireworks of any kind are also strictly prohibited in all Wildland-Urban Interface areas, the foothills, and other locations deemed high-risk. Given recent fire activity along the Pocatello-Inkom corridor and in the hills above the city, officials are taking enforcement of those restrictions seriously.
Safe Practices for the Holiday
Even for residents using only legal fireworks, the fire department has issued specific guidance to reduce the chance of an accident:
Use a safe surface. Fireworks should only be lit on flat, nonflammable surfaces well away from dry grass, brush, vehicles, and structures. Given how quickly the Harrison Avenue fire spread through dry roadside vegetation, the danger of lighting anything near landscaping or a dry lawn is real.
Soak used fireworks overnight. Spent fireworks can retain heat long after they appear to be extinguished. Residents are advised to place all used devices in a bucket of water and let them soak overnight before disposing of them in the trash.
Supervise children at all times. Young children should never handle fireworks without adult supervision — including sparklers, which burn at extremely high temperatures and are responsible for a significant share of fireworks-related injuries each year.
What Comes Next
As the 4th of July weekend approaches, the Pocatello Fire Department and partner agencies will maintain heightened readiness throughout the holiday. Residents who witness fireworks being used illegally — particularly in the foothills or Wildland-Urban Interface zones — are encouraged to contact local authorities. Fire conditions are expected to remain elevated through the summer, and how the community handles the holiday weekend could set the tone for fire season across southeast Idaho.