Communities Take Precautions for Fireworks in Dry Weather

Local communities are taking extra precuations this year as they prep for extensive firework shows in dry weather. 

In Tinley Park, the village and park district, which split the expense of the village's annual fireworks display, are also paying $3,700 to rent irrigation equipment to saturate the area around the fireworks launch and landing site, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

The Orland Fire Protection District will have extra personnel and equipment on hand for the Orland Hills display on June 30 and the Orland Park display on June 4, according to the Trib.

"We're certainly ripe for some fairly large brush fires and bog fires," Orland Fire Chief Ken Brucki told the Trib. "It does put us on notice." 

The grounds where Bolingbrook launches its fireworks -- -- is pretty wet, said Deputy Chief Trinedad Garza. "They monitor that daily," Garza said. "They also do a pre-fireworks inspection, so there will be no hazards."

Garza said the department is relying on residents to "utilize some common sense" and not illegally launch fireworks.

Precautions for the Woodridge/Downers Grove fireworks show usually include clearing brush from near the firework shell site, soaking particular areas with water and having sand on hand, said Jack Knight, management analyst for the village of Woodridge. 

Less than half an inch of rain has been recorded at O'Hare International Airport since the beginning of June, Kevin Birk, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Trib. Normally, he said, rainfall totals would be closer to 2.5 inches by now.

"Overall, we're going to stay in a dry pattern," he said. "Any showers we do see aren't going to be enough to bring us back up to where we should be for this time of year."