Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

There is something you might want to know before you light off fireworks in the City of Bartlesville this Independence Day.

Shooting off fireworks within Bartlesville's city limits is against the law.  City Manager Mike Bailey said he knows people may shoot off fireworks anyway, but he wants you to be warned.

Only those with a commercial license that obtained a permit from the Bartlesville Fire Department are allowed to shoot fireworks on the Fourth of July. There are other ways you can shoot fireworks legally this Independence Day.

Bailey said he believes that fireworks can be shot outside the city limits. He said you should make sure that you are on private property and that you have permission from the property owner to shoot fireworks on their property.

You should also check with Washington County before shooting off fireworks. But again, if you shoot fireworks within Bartlesville’s city limits, police may visit you and write you a ticket.

The enforcement of the law by the Bartlesville Police Department is normally by complaint. Bailey said it is this way because they know a lot of fireworks will be shot off. He said if your neighbor doesn't like that you're shooting off fireworks and they call police, the police will come and investigate.

This was designed from a safety perspective.

Fireworks, Bailey said, are not to be shot in small communities or in areas where there are a lot of houses. In the past, there have been a lot of fires in structures and vehicles that have stemmed from fireworks being shot in Bartlesville.

Bailey said he hopes everyone has a safe and exciting Fourth of July and wants you to keep in mind that shooting fireworks in Bartlesville is against the law.