Dry conditions prompt some Indiana cities to ban fireworks - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

The Fourth of July and fireworks go hand and hand, but perhaps not this year. The dangerously dry conditions have prompted 29 counties across the state to put restrictions on the personal use of fireworks, at least through June 28.

State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson said several communities are also reconsidering their professional firework shows.

"They're monitoring the weather and dry conditions and considering alternate plans," said Greeson.

In Fishers, which is hosting its annual Freedom Festival this weekend, director Jennifer Kehl said Sunday's fireworks show will go on but without the ground display.

"It's just the dry grass. Because we set them off on the grass we decided it wasn't the safe thing to do," Kehl said.

The dry conditions are also a big concern at Conner Prairie where the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra holds a special July fourth celebration each year.

The Star Spangled Symphony, which runs July 2-4, has played since 1982, but this year the pops concert may end without a bang.

While the grass is green around the amphitheater, it's bone dry in the battlefield behind it where the fireworks are launched. ISO Spokesperson Jessica DiSanto said the symphony will meet with officials from Conner Prairie, the fire department and fireworks vendor Wednesday to decide whether to forgo the fireworks.

"We're going to make sure if we do the show we do it in the right conditions," she said. "We have to decide at what point we say nope, it's not a good time to shoot off fireworks."

DiSanto noted the fireworks have never been canceled because of dry conditions in the program's 30-year history.

"It would be heartbreaking to cancel, but we absolutely will because there's no way we would consider putting anyone at risk or doing any harm to the property," she said.

At least with professional shows, firefighters are on hand, as they will be during Fishers display Sunday night.

Ron Lipps with the Fishers Fire Department said, "We're all in place watching, so if anything goes wrong, we react quickly. The bigger concern is probably the private display in the backyard where you don't have anyone standing by."

A state law enacted in 2007 prohibits local governments from banning the use of fireworks from June 29th to July 9th.

The sponsor, former State Sen. Tom Weatherwax (R) Logansport, said, "The goal was to make sure we didn't have 92 county ordinances that were a patch quilt of regulations. We were simply looking for uniformity in the hours and days you could shoot fireworks."

Weatherwax said no one thought about the implications of drought conditions.

"We didn't know that. We didn't plan that," he said, adding that provision should be changed to include an exception for drought.

While Greeson said another state law gives fire chiefs the authority to impose restrictions when hazardous conditions, apply, he agrees the law should be clarified.

"It would help give local jurisdictions another tool for addressing the situation," he said.