SNOHOMISH — In a 6-1 vote, the City Council last week instituted a fireworks ban that starts in 2026.
July 4, 2025 will be the last Fourth of July fireworks will be legal within city limits.
Councilwoman Maygen Hetherington gave the nay vote. She indicated she believes the topic should be put to an advisory ballot measure to get the public’s pulse instead of council making the decision that night.
Taking a collective vote of the people could encourage better adherence to a ban, Hetherington said.
Public testimony at recent Snohomish council meetings has largely favored a ban.
State law requires any local fireworks ban to have a one-year delay before coming into effect.
Starting March 9, 2026, Snohomish will join a modestly growing trend of cities that have banned fireworks and fireworks sales. Since 2017, Marysville, Arlington and Darrington have banned them. Darrington’s council approved a ban last year. More than half of Snohomish County’s cities have banned fireworks for a decade or more including all cities bordering the Puget Sound.
As more cities ban fireworks, it could attract people into Snohomish who want to set off fireworks, Council President Tom Merrill said. He was dismayed by a recent Fourth of July where people took over a street intersection near his house to shoot loads of fireworks. If it is illegal, it will cause fireworks use to taper off, he had said before.
Still legal are Lake Stevens, Monroe, Sultan and most of unincorporated Snohomish County, except unincorporated areas of southwest Snohomish County. That ban came into effect in 2021.
