Mayor Ted Wheeler, Fire Chief Sara Boone and City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Announce Ban on Sale of Fireworks

This afternoon, Wednesday, June 30, 2021, Mayor Ted Wheeler signed an emergency declaration immediately banning all sales of fireworks within the City of Portland due to continuing hot weather and dry conditions. You can find a copy of the emergency declaration at this link.

The ban on the sales of fireworks comes one day after Portland Fire & Rescue announced an immediate ban on the use of all fireworks through the end of the holiday weekend.

"With the recent historic, once-in-a-millennium heatwave and the forecast for continued warm weather, saving lives and property are a top priority," Mayor Wheeler said. "A decision like this doesn't come easily but it's imperative that we do all we can to ensure everyone's safety. This sales ban is another necessary measure to reduce threats posed by wildfires to the city and all who live here."

"I’m thankful Mayor Wheeler is taking action today for the safety of all Portlanders," Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said. "Climate change has brought unprecedented heat and dry conditions to our City and responding to this danger requires extraordinary measures. This is the right decision and I thank Chief Boone for her advocacy.”

“I appreciate the support of Commissioner Hardesty and the leadership of Mayor Wheeler in issuing an emergency declaration to immediately ban the sale of fireworks through the Fourth of July weekend," Chief Sara Boone of Portland Fire & Rescue said. "While this is not an easy decision, I again want to stress that the current conditions have pushed fire danger to an extreme risk.”

The City's Bureau of Emergency Communications is asking that residents please do not call 911 to report fireworks use. It is very important that our 911 system be kept for reporting only active fires and serious medical problems.

With this difficult decision, the City of Portland is prioritizing life safety over everything else. The cooperation of Portlanders will help us save lives.