I’ve read with great interest the recent letters objecting to the fireworks free-for-all that occurs every year in Kent. I share the concerns for pets, safety, fires, etc. expressed in them. To these concerns I’d add the impact of fireworks on wildlife.
A few years ago, an American Robin nested under the deck of my house. On July 4, there were two eggs in it. The next morning, after the fireworks, I found both broken on the ground. The following year, another robin’s nest contained a week-old chick the afternoon of July 4. The following morning it was dead on the ground.
The blow-the-world up fireworks use common throughout Kent is clearly panicking parent birds off their nests and in the process their eggs and young are knocked out and killed.
As another example, consider the plight of bats. I live near Lake Meridian and so can’t avoid the out of control fireworks war zone that occurs there annually. Each year I see bats flying over the lake through all the sound and litter filtering down from the explosions above. In addition to the possibility of damage to their hearing, my guess is they might be mistaking falling fireworks debris as food. The results can’t be good.
My question is why the city of Kent won’t enforce its fireworks laws? I’d like to hear from both candidates for mayor whether, if elected, they will allow this senseless situation to continue, or actually commit to do something about it.
– Mark Johnston
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