PADUCAH, KY - New laws restricting where fireworks can be fired in the city of Paducah may put a damper on some planned celebrations.

With the Fourth of July just a few weeks away, firework tents are popping up all over the area, but just because you can buy them doesn’t mean they can be fired anywhere in the city. In 2011, the city passed a new ordinance saying that fireworks may not be shot within the city limits. The mayor and city commissioner expressed concern that buildings are too close to each other to allow them to be shot in conjunction with the state law, which says fireworks must be shot at least 200 feet from another building.
 
The Paducah Fire Department did a study using the Geographic Information System to plot a 200 foot radius around every home. They found the houses are too close to each other to allow firework shooting in neighborhoods; however, Paducah residents are allowed to use ground fireworks and sparklers.
 
Fireworks sales were allowed for the first time in 2011. Even though you can’t shoot above the ground fireworks in Paducah, they can still be sold.  
 
The National Weather Service in Paducah warns that as the dry weather persists, the fire danger will increase. The NWS says all it takes is a sparkler to create a large fire. Extended forecasts currently do not project any significant rains in the area for the next seven days.