The Eugene City Council on Wednesday approved a ban on fireworks south of 18th Avenue and east of Agate Street.
The decision was reached unanimously during an emergency meeting.
Eugene Mayor, Kitty Piercy opened the City Council meeting asking the Eugene community to make a sacrifice for the sake of the cities safety this 4th of July by considering a full firework ban that would go into effect immediately.
Originally the meeting was set to discuss passing either a full ban or no ban at all. After opinions from community members and members of the counsel were heard, a third option of a partial ban was brought to the table by councilor Greg Evans.
Some Eugene community members feared a full ban due to the fact that firework sales raise funds for many local churches, sports groups and bands. With a full ban, these groups would lose a large portion of funds.
In addition, some feared that a full city-wide ban would push people outside of city limits where fire risks would far more extreme.
With less than three days until the holiday, a partial ban seemed like the most time efficient decision while still keeping the Eugene community safe.
Evans says that the ban will remain effective throughout the year until the counsel meets again and comes up with another proposal to deal with the situation. After the fourth, they will work to make suggested “safe zones” where people are encouraged to set off their fireworks safely.
For those living in the restricted areas, Evans encourages families to enjoy their holiday with family or friends outside of that area.