Maine City of Augusta to Seek Fireworks Ban

The Augusta Fire chief and city manager want the city council to ban fireworks, overruling a new Maine law allowing them.

Fire Chief Roger Audette says he grew up in Los Angeles, a city that allows fireworks and every year someone from his school got hurt using them.

City Manager William Bridgeo says he will collect fireworks ordinances from other communities so councilors can consider imposing a similar ban in Augusta.

On Jan. 1 a new state law will take effect allowing the use, possession and sale of consumer fireworks.

Bridgeo tells the Kennebec Journal he hadn’t given much thought to banning fireworks in Augusta until Audette showed him a report that said shows there are more fireworks injuries in areas where they are legal.