Beware of your fireworks

Each year, around the Fourth of July, fire crews wind up working overtime dealing with far too many fires started by fireworks -- usually illegal fireworks.

With temperatures rapidly climbing into or near triple digits, the "fuel" (grasses) on the desert are quickly drying out. And, because of the wet spring, there's a lot of it out there. The lands surrounding Mountain Home (and even some lots inside the city) are quickly becoming a tinderbox.

Remember, if you start a fire, you are liable for the costs to fight it, and increasingly, the government agencies that respond to fires are pushing that point. Depending on how quickly the fire gets out of hand, that can cost you from a few thousand dollars to a couple million.

On federal lands, which comprises a lot of the surrounding area, all fireworks, even legal ones are banned. You can't even possess them on federal lands.

Idaho is one of 48 states in the nation that bans the use of any fireworks except those considered "safe and sane," that is, fireworks that do not explode or have any effect that rises more than 10 feet into the air. Anything else can get you arrested.

Enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, but remember, use only legal fireworks and use them carefully and responsibly. Make safety your top priority.