Two of the biggest firework days of the year correspond with a hot, dry time for our city. 

“We had great moisture early this season, which means the grasses have grown exceptionally tall,” Deputy Fire Marshal Jeff Puls said. “But by the Fourth of July we will be well into a drying trend. Those tall grasses are great fuel for even a little spark.”

As such, Murray has restrictions regarding the discharge of personal fireworks. 

• Fireworks are restricted to within 200 feet of waterways, washes and ravines. This includes all parks along the Jordan River, Murray Park and Wheeler Farm. You can find a detailed map of Murray Firework Zones using this
QR code. 

• Fireworks may only be discharged between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. July 2 to July 5 and July 22 to July 25. Hours will be extended to midnight on July 4 and July 24.

“My best advice with personal fireworks?” Puls pondered. “Get a five-gallon bucket and fill it with water. Soak those spent fireworks overnight. If you throw them in a dumpster, even if they are done burning, they’re still hot enough to start
a fire.”

There’s also the danger fireworks pose to personal safety. Puls pointed to a statistic from the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association). 

• In 2018, U.S. emergency rooms treated 9,100 people for firework-related injuries, and children younger than 15 years of age accounted for more than one-third of those injuries.

“So, we hand a 5-year-old kid a sparkler that is less than a foot long and is burning at about 1,200 degrees, and we let them run around with it? Parents should supervise and use caution,” Puls said. “Or even better, just come to Murray Park that night and watch a great show!” 

Safety Fair

Speaking of safety, Murray City provides more than fire safety (and fireworks advice) for residents. One way to envision and take advantage of all Murray offers is to attend the annual Safety Fair. This year it will be Aug. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m., in Murray Park next to the Rec Center.

“This is such a fun and event-filled night to showcase to the community what services are available and what their taxes pay for,” Kristin Reardon, the public information officer for the Murray Police Department, said. 

Of note, taxes for these services are a large percentage of the Murray City Annual Budget. Based on the 2024 figures, police account for 29% of the general fund, and fire for an additional 19%. 

“Basically, at the Safety Fair we try to represent almost everything regarding risk prevention,” Reardon said. “We have so many partners that participate and about 25 vendor booths. Everything is free (except the food trucks), so I’m going to just start listing.” 

Here’s the paraphrased version:

“The SWAT team comes in for a cool demonstration, there’s a Life Flight helicopter landing, firefighters put out a car fire, and show how a person is extracted after an accident using their extraction equipment.

“Utah Highway Patrol brings in a crash simulator to demonstrate seatbelt safety. Likely there will be an obstacle course for the police motorcycle unit and a demonstration of motorcycle safety.

“There are car seat and booster seat inspections, a bike rodeo for the kids and a demonstration on bike safety, swag like sunglasses for eye protection, water bottles and things like that. Oh, and the library will be there with book carts.

“We’ll have a Red Cross booth, people from the emergency dispatch center, people from code-enforcement so residents can ask questions. The senior center will have information about fun programs available, financial advice for elderly care, and how to avoid accidents like slip-and-falls, also Neighborhood Watch.

“There will be information on smoke detectors, sprinkler demos, and info on common house fires like cooking fires. Victim and crime advocates will be available to answer questions. This year the U.S Attorney’s office will send a representative to answer questions with an emphasis on financial and fraud safety. 

“The K9 unit is always a hit and Salt Lake County Animal Services will be there to discuss adoptions and pet safety.

“There will likely be some recruitment booths for job opportunities in the community, high school cadets running games and prizes.

“There will be a DJ and food trucks. Don’t forget the food trucks: tacos, crepes and more,” Reardon concluded. “It will be easy to make a night of it.” λ