Counties surrounding Tarrant battle wildfire threat with fireworks bans

At least four counties surrounding Tarrant County have approved disaster declarations to lessen the risks of people starting dangerous and costly wildfires while they celebrate the Independence Day holiday.

The declarations prohibit the use, but not the sale, of fireworks within the counties' borders for 60 hours, a period of time that includes the July Fourth holiday.

Johnson County officials approved its declaration Tuesday, saying it was based of fuel loading, weather conditions and the drought index there, according to a tweet from the Johnson County Emergency Management Office.

The Johnson County declaration states that residents are "under imminent threat of severe damage, injury or loss of life or property resulting from the threat of wildfires."

Hood County officials also issued a disaster declaration Tuesday, asking the public to report illegal fireworks use to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office by calling 817-579-3316. Anyone who violates the declaration faces a $500 fine.

Palo Pinto and Parker county officials also have approved disaster declarations, according to reporting from our media partner WFAA.

Tarrant and other North Texas counties have issued burn bans, but those burn bans do not specifically prohibit the use of fireworks, WFAA reported.

Firefighters in Hood and Palo Pinto counties battled wildfires Tuesday that were consuming hundreds of acres of land and threatening structures.

This story contains information from Star-Telegram archives

This story was originally published July 3, 2018 at 10:36 PM.