By Doug Nelson, State Fire Marshal
As we ring in our nation’s birthday, please remember that fire safety is important to ensuring everyone can enjoy the holiday. July is often one of our busiest fire months in North Dakota. In 2023, 402 fires occurred in the month of July. So, whether grilling out at a campfire, attending fireworks, or enduring severe weather, summer brings many fire and safety hazards to our communities. Further outdoor fire safety tips and information can be found on the United States Fire Administration’s website here.
The Century Code that governs fireworks in North Dakota is 23-15, and can be found here. This section defines what fireworks are in North Dakota, how and when they can be legally sold, requirements for public displays, and licenses required. In 2023, North Dakota fire departments reported 70 fires that were caused by fireworks.
Also, as summer moves along, our annual Fire Department Certificate of Existence program will be opening on August 1st. To hopefully help in ensuring we can get everyone into the program and through the process quickly, we will be hosting a lunch and learn. The lunch and learn will be hosted by myself and Marcy Ost. We will walk through the process from start to finish and hopefully answer any questions that may be barriers to getting your certificate of existence submitted quickly.
If you are interested in attending the lunch and learn on July 25th from 12:00-1:00 (central time), please register online. Please have a safe and fire free July!