ISLAND COUNTY: Fireworks burst to attention of county commissioners once again

Kira Erickson reports from the Island County Commissioners board meeting of Tue., July 22, 2025, for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.

At least one Island County commissioner is already looking ahead to what changes the board can make that would impact future Independence Day celebrations.

Whether it will earn enough support from a second commissioner, though, is another question.

Last week, three members of the public attended a regular meeting of the board of county commissions and spoke out about the dangers of fireworks.

Last year, the county commissioners voted 2-1 for a ban on the personal usage of mortar fireworks, which went into effect in time for this year’s holiday.

They Said It

Commissioner Jill Johnson, the sole “nay” vote, stood firm in her position during the meeting last week. Over the past 13 years she has been in her role, Johnson noted a reduction in the number of days that residents living in unincorporated areas of the county can launch fireworks, from a week to just two days now, and said she is not willing to compromise any more.

“I appreciate the people who come here for the birds,” she said. “I’m trying to build a community for the people who live here.”

She told a story of some Deer Lake residents whose last family memory before their daughter died was their Fourth of July celebrations, which included fireworks.

“When people who love these traditions have those traditions stripped away, they also feel severely disrespected,” Johnson said, adding that fireworks help teach responsibility to kids and that she represents a district that is 30 years younger than those in the district who have been coming forward with their concerns recently. She agreed, however, there’s an opportunity for more community education. But banning the sale of mortar fireworks in the county, as she pointed out, won’t stop them from being sold within the city of Oak Harbor or on the reservations.

Commissioner Melanie Bacon said she would be putting forth a resolution to include fireworks on a list of prohibited items during a Type 1 burn ban and as part of that, she wanted to make the sale of mortar-style fireworks illegal.

“And as Commissioner Johnson just said, if you want a second vote, it’s not going to be Commissioner Johnson,” Bacon said.