June 27, 2025 11:00 a.m. 

With the Fourth of July approaching, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is reminding residents that fireworks and explosives are strictly prohibited within Oregon State Parks and the entire ocean shore.

An OPRD release said park staff encourage visitors to celebrate responsibly on July 4th and leave fireworks at home when visiting state parks and beaches. These items may pose a significant danger to visitors, wildlife, structures and the natural landscape, particularly in crowded areas where high winds and flammable vegetation increase the inherent risks of fireworks. Parks are often in remote locations that are challenging and might take emergency responders time to reach.

OPRD said the wildfire season has already begun in Oregon and three state parks have been closed or evacuated due to wildfires in the last few weeks. Fireworks and explosives would increase the risk of additional fires.

Fireworks also impact sensitive habitat like federally protected Western snowy plover nesting grounds and other coastal birds and marine wildlife.

Dawn Harris, visitor services manager with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said, “The lights and noise from fireworks can cause birds and other wildlife to startle and flee in panic. On the coast this can result in the abandonment of nests, leaving eggs or young vulnerable to predators like crows, ravens or gulls”. Harris said, “Litter from firecrackers, bottle rockets and other explosives spread debris on beaches, which can be choking hazards for wildlife and may be toxic if ingested”.

The release said after last year’s Fourth of July celebrations, volunteers collected nearly 1,000 pounds of trash from the beaches around Lincoln City alone. Fireworks were the third most collected item. Another 640 pounds of trash was collected in barrels.

For more information on Oregon State Parks, go to: https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/pages/index.aspx