LYON COUNTY (KSNT) – A Kansas sheriff is reminding local residents about firework safety and potential punishments that may follow when certain statutes are broken.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office posted to their Facebook on Thursday regarding accepted fireworks for Lyon County. The fireworks laws that residents of unincorporated areas of Lyon County are encouraged to follow under resolution 33-12 include the following:

• Possession of illegal fireworks includes: bottle rockets, sky lanterns, Kongming lanterns, other uninhabited free-floating devices which include flame or another heating device to act as a lifting mechanism, metal sparklers or any other class of non-consumer pyrotechnic device which requires a permit.
• In addition to class C fireworks, toy smoke devices, poppers, wooden sparklers, burning “snakes” and toy caps or balls are permitted to be possessed, stored and discharged.
• The discharge of fireworks is allowed between June 27 and July 5 each year from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Except on July 4 which is allowed from 10 a.m. to midnight.
• No fireworks may be discharged on real property without the permission of the owner or person or entity in control of the property including all federal, state, county or city-owned or leased property. No fireworks shall be discharged within 250 feet of any hospital or nursing home property line.
• Violation of this resolution is punishable by a misdemeanor with a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000.

Furthermore, the LCSO said that locals should also pay attention to Kansas statute 21-5815 littering. Those who fail to pick up trash, such as used fireworks, may face fines from $250 to $4,000 and the potential to have to pick up trash for a time prescribed by the court. You can also click here to look at fireworks safety and discharge tips on the Kansas Fire Marshal’s website.