Fireworks Are Banned Across Most of Utah Valley This Fourth of July — Here's Where the Rules Stand

If your Fourth of July plans involved lighting fireworks in the backyard this year, those plans have almost certainly changed. On June 25, Governor Spencer Cox signed an emergency executive order that made "no fireworks" the statewide default through July 5, and in the days since, nearly every city in Utah Valley has followed with its own ban. Here's what applies where you live, and what to do instead.

What the Governor's Order Actually Did

Utah law doesn't let the governor ban fireworks outright during the legal Independence Day window. So Cox declared a state of emergency, which gave the state forester the authority to make "no fireworks" the default inside city limits from July 2 through July 5 — while still letting each mayor, in consultation with local fire officials, designate specific "safe zones" where fireworks are allowed.

In plain terms: unless your city has carved out a permitted area, personal fireworks are off the table this weekend. Cities can be stricter than the state, but not more permissive.

The order came amid what the governor's office called extraordinary wildfire conditions: hundreds of fires, exhausted firefighting resources and some of the most dangerous fire behavior in state history.

Where Provo and the Rest of Utah Valley Landed

Most Utah County cities responded with full citywide bans on personal fireworks through July 5. Based on city announcements, the following went to complete personal-firework bans: Provo, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Lehi, American Fork, Lindon, Alpine, Eagle Mountain, and Vineyard. Provo's fire chief urged residents to skip the tradition entirely this year and attend a professional show instead.

A handful of cities kept limited zones rather than a blanket ban:

• Spanish Fork is permitting fireworks in much of town, but banned them in the foothills to the south and the more rural areas to the north. The city released a map and asked residents to review it.
• Springville published a map with a red zone (the mountain bench and much of west Springville) where fireworks are prohibited, and a yellow zone where only novelty items like sparklers and smoke bombs are allowed and 1.4G fireworks are banned.
• Payson designated specific areas where fireworks are allowed and provided alternative discharge locations — Payson Memorial Park, Payson City Center, and the Payson Ball Fields and Soccer Complex — for residents in restricted areas.

Because the lines are drawn block by block in some cities, the only reliable move is to check your own city's official fireworks map before you light anything. Rules in one neighborhood don't carry over to the next.

The Legal Window (Where Fireworks Are Allowed at All)

Even in permitted zones, state timing rules still apply. For the Independence Day holiday, Class C common fireworks are legal only July 2 through July 5, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the window extended to midnight on July 4 itself. Nothing is permitted before July 2 or after July 5. The same framework repeats for the Pioneer Day window (July 22–25), and state officials have said they may extend restrictions into that holiday if drought and fire danger persist. Our guide to Pioneer Day in Utah Valley covers the parades, rodeos, and city-run fireworks shows that go ahead regardless of what private use is allowed.

The Enforcement Stakes Are Real

This isn't a rule that officials are treating as symbolic. Utah's Department of Public Safety warned that illegal firework use will be enforced, and the state has said it plans to hold people financially responsible for the cost of suppressing any fire they cause — figures that can run into serious money. Parents can be held liable if a child or teen starts a fire. With crews already spread thin fighting multiple large wildfires, the margin for error this weekend is thin.

What to Do Instead

The good news: the celebrations aren't canceled. The bans cover the fireworks in your hand, not the professional shows — and on the country's 250th birthday, the valley's big displays are going ahead.

• Stadium of Fire at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo remains the marquee event, with Brad Paisley headlining and a fireworks-and-drone finale. It's ticketed through BYU Ticketing. See our Stadium of Fire guide for the full rundown.
• Thanksgiving Point Freedom Celebration at Electric Park in Lehi is free to attend, with gates at 4 p.m. and fireworks at 10 p.m. Lehi and American Fork are both officially pointing residents here. See our Electric Park celebration guide.
• Pleasant Grove hosts a free show at Discovery Park with fireworks around 10 p.m.
• The rest of the Freedom Festival's programming runs as normal — our Freedom Festival guide has the full slate.
• For an elevated view that can catch several shows at once, locals head to spots like Y Mountain, Rock Canyon, and Kyhv Peak lookout.

For the complete slate of Independence Day events across the valley, see our Fourth of July guide and the Provo events calendar.

This is a developing situation and city rules can change on short notice. Always confirm current restrictions with your city or local fire authority before the holiday. Information here reflects announcements as of July 1, 2026.

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