Fireworks in Las Vegas Valley: What’s legal and what isn’t?
Firework laws vary region to region, with many municipalities criminalizing different types of fireworks and others putting limits on when and where residents can light them.
What fireworks are legal and what’s not?
“Safe and Sane” fireworks are the only types of consumer fireworks allowed in Clark County, Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Touchstone said.
Some examples of “Safe and Sane” fireworks include sparklers, snaps, pinwheels, smokeballs, fountains, and snakes. “Safe and Sane” fireworks are labeled accordingly and are fireworks that don’t leave the ground.
Nonprofits are permitted to sell fireworks for fundraising purposes if they operate with a license and pass inspection.
Illegal fireworks are larger ones that can leave the ground, such as firecrackers, sky rockets and Roman candles.
It is also illegal to bring in fireworks from areas outside of Clark County, including fireworks bought in Nye County — which is home to Pahrump and Amargosa Valley — and California.
“If you bring them back in your car, transporting them here or you’re caught lighting them, then we will confiscate them,” Touchstone said.
When can you light fireworks?
In Clark County, fireworks are permitted to sell and light from June 28 to July 4, according to Touchstone.
Fireworks are no longer permitted to be lit after midnight on July 4 in Clark County.
In Nye County, consumer fireworks cannot be fired from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., with an exemption for the night of July 4.
Where can you light fireworks?
In Nye County, including Pahrump, it is legal to purchase “Safe and Sane” fireworks, but it is illegal to possess or use those fireworks. The exception is at fireworks shooting sites, where it is legal to light fireworks.
“You need to be abreast on what’s your local regulation is as far as having fireworks. … There’s also shoot sites here and that they open periodically, so that people can go and have a safe space to enjoy,” said Murice Law from Outlaw Pyrotechnics, a firework store in Pahrump.
In Clark County, fireworks are illegal to light in public parks or lands, including Clark County Wetlands Park, Mount Charleston, Lake Mead and Red Rock Canyon.
Fireworks, fines and felonies
Fines start at $100 in Nye County, and fines start at $500 in Clark County.
In Clark County, those caught with high quantities of illegal fireworks can be fined as much as $10,000 or spend up to a year in jail. Those who use fireworks with the intent to cause damage or destruction to property could face two to 10 years in prison.
Reporting illegal firework use
The Fire Department asks the public to keep the 911 line open for life-threatening emergencies during July 4. Any complaints about illegal firework use can be submitted to ISpyFireworks.com.
Contact Annie Vong at avong@reviewjournal.com.
