Update 3:15 p.m. Not good news. National Weather Service Seattle just extended the heat advisory through midnight Sunday.
Update 2:45 p.m.
#Q13FOX News 15m minutes ago
DEVELOPING: Around 10 brush fires burning on Whidbey Island; evacuations underway
“Will we cool down soon? Probably not,” says Cliff Mass.
Is it safe to build a July 4th campfire? Probably not.
Will we incinerate Maple Leaf Reservoir Park with fireworks? Let’s not.
Seattle police and firefighters really, really would like it if we don’t.
“911 call centers are typically inundated on the 4th with reports of fireworks-related injuries and house fires. Because of that influx of calls, please only use 911 to report life-threatening emergencies. We are also unable to respond to fireworks complaints (or any other crime reports, for that matter) sent via Twitter,” police say.
During this tinder-dry summer, Washington’s governor would really, really like to just ban fireworks statewide, but says he can’t.
(There’s a change.org online petition asking for that ban; as of this morning it had 931 signatures.)
Oh, and fireworks ARE illegal here.
“The possession, manufacture, storage, sale and use of fireworks (meaning everything but pop-it caps) is prohibited in Seattle, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.”
Are kids shooting off fireworks really a huge problem that merits police response? Sometimes you folks forget what it was like to be a kid back when we had a lot more freedom and less rules. In the 70s we shot of fireworks for a week around the 4th, all the kids did, and there was little complaining about it. Celebrate your country and have some fun.
The SPD is a complete failure in enforcing the law regarding illegal fireworks. Their failure is apparent every time any thug wants to shoot explosives in residential neighborhoods and has complete free reign to do so with no concern the police will do anything to enforce the law.
“We are also unable to respond to fireworks complaints (or any other crime reports, for that matter)” Could have just ended right there.