Fireworks safety reminders issued for July 4
As Independence Day approaches, Shackelford County officials are reminding residents to take extra precautions when using fireworks – especially inside city limits and along county roads, where they remain strictly prohibited.
While the spring of 2025 has been notably wet, conditions can shift quickly in Texas weather.
Shackelford County Judge John Viertel said that although the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, maintained by the Texas A&M Forest Service, still shows the county in a safe condition, there are always reasons for concern.
“If you look out across pastures from one day to the next, you’ll notice the volume of grass and vegetation,” Viertel said. “With our typical summer wind and sun, it’s rapidly growing dry at the tops. A little bit of hot wind and quickly drying vegetation can easily combine to make a serious problem across the land.”
Albany Volunteer Fire Department Chief Joel Viertel echoed those concerns, saying the lush vegetation from this year’s rains has created a hidden hazard.
“There’s a tremendous fuel load in these pastures,” he said. “It’s still the color green, somewhat, but it’s very crisp.”
He warned that under the right conditions, the situation could quickly turn dangerous.
Chief Viertel also shared practical advice for those planning to use fireworks in permitted areas.
“I recommend getting a two- or three-gallon pump-up sprayer and putting about half a cup of Dawn dishwashing soap in it with water,” he said. “If someone has a little bit of a flare-up where they’re setting off fireworks, they can spray it with that foam and knock it down, as long as they catch it right away. That foam will help knock it down better and encapsulate the flame.”
According to state law, fireworks should never be fired on or from county roads and inside city limits. Permission should be obtained from private land owners.
City and county officials, along with local law enforcement, urge all residents to celebrate safely and responsibly this Fourth of July.
