More than a few residents disobeyed the last-minute fireworks ban in Flathead County last weekend.
The local dispatch center, which serves the valley’s cities and surrounding Flathead County, received nearly 500 calls between 4 p.m. and 4 a.m., July 4-5, according to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
Nearly half of the calls — 213 — were complaints of people shooting fireworks. Flathead County Commissioners banned all fireworks on public and private lands on July 2 due to warm, dry conditions and high fire danger. Public displays in Whitefish, Lakeside and Bigfork were canceled, as well as private shows across the valley. The ban remains in effect.
Aside from the complaints, 87 calls were actual fire-related. Crews were successful in suppressing a number of small fires last weekend that were either human-caused or sparked from lightning. Only one local fire in West Valley reached half an acre.
The county set up a hotline designated for non-emergency fireworks complaints. Anyone caught violating the ban could be charged with a misdemeanor crime, punishable with a fine up to $500 and six months in jail.
All together during the busy holiday, deputies received a call every 1.5 minutes during their 12-hour holiday shift, according to Sheriff Chuck Curry.