Wichita City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to make changes in the city’s fireworks ordinance for this summer, allowing some aerial fireworks for a certain period of time.

The city has banned fireworks that shoot higher than six feet in past years, but Fire Chief Tammy Snow said surrounding communities have allowed these fireworks and the city has been overwhelmed with fireworks that have been illegal under city regulations.   She said enforcement of the regulations has been ineffective, so a committee looked at a compromise that would align with state laws.

The city will define two types of fireworks:  Aerial fireworks and “safe and sane” fireworks.   The changes in the city ordinance will have the following amendments:

   •Legalize Aerial Fireworks from July 1-July 4.

   •Allow for the discharge of Safe and Sane Fireworks from June 27–July 4.

   •Hours to discharge fireworks remain between 10:00 am –midnight.

   •Consistent with state law, bottle rockets will be banned in the City.

   •Sky Lanterns will be banned within the City. State law currently allows Sky Lanterns.

   •Penalties for violating the ordinance are increased and graduated fines are proposed.

The fine for the first offense would be $1,000, a second offense would be $1,500, and third and later offenses would be $2,000.

Snow said the Fire Department and the Wichita Police Department will continue to have enforcement teams that will strictly enforce the times for shooting fireworks.  There will be enhanced enforcement efforts from July 1st through the 4th and there will be zero tolerance for violations.   She said the fireworks committee will look at the activity this summer and recommend any needed changes for 2024.

City Council Member Brandon Johnson said this is a compromise between people who want to ban all fireworks and those who want to have aerial fireworks.