WALLA WALLA — With the Fourth of July holiday in the rearview mirror, firefighters in the Walla Walla Valley are recovering from a busy few days of fighting fireworks-related fires.

The skies above the city of Walla Walla were ablaze with mostly illegal fireworks Tuesday, July 4 — aerial fireworks are banned in city limits — while some of the land underneath burned as a result.

During the days fireworks were on sale in the area — July 1-4 — the Walla Walla Fire Department responded to 24 fires within city limits, including 20 on the Fourth of July.

These include multiple structure fires that did more than $185,000 in damages, according to officials. There were no deaths or reported injuries.

College Place and unincorporated Walla Walla County — where aerial fireworks are legal — also saw some fires, but none involving structures.

Walla Walla

Crews of the Walla Walla Fire Department stayed busy during the holiday weekend. So busy, in fact, that neighboring department, Walla Walla Fire District No. 4, handled at least one fire for the WWFD.

The most serious fire of the holiday was a residential structure fire in the 500 block of South Second Avenue about 9:01 p.m.

The WWFD reported that fireworks are considered to be the cause of the fire, which spread to an adjacent building.

While firefighters had it under control by 9:10 p.m., the fire caused $175,000 in damages across the two properties.

Another residential fire occurred early in the morning of July 4, as a result of celebrations continuing from the night before.

At 4:05 a.m., crews responded to a report of smoke at a residence in the 200 block of West Birch Street.

Officials said improperly disposed of fireworks started a fire in the exterior siding of the residence.

Though crews stopped the fire before it fully developed, the fire did $5,000 in damages.

WWFD spokesperson Jennifer Scott said the damage could have been a lot worse if crews hadn’t arrived when they did.

The series of residential fires lasted into the morning of Wednesday, July 5, as fireworks in Walla Walla continued past the legal cutoff of midnight.

Firefighters were called to the 400 block of Wilbur Avenue at 4:02 a.m. July 5 for a residential fire.

When they arrived, they found the fire was actually burning a fence at a residence, and not the house itself. The fire had been partly put out by the property owner, causing about $500 in damages.

Firefighters also responded to two tree fires near houses on Maple Street.

First, at 9:46 p.m., they arrived in the 300 block of West Maple Street to find bystanders attempting to extinguish a tree fire. The fire was out six minutes later.

Then, they responded down the street to the 100 block of East Maple Street to a report of another tree fire near a house. This one had been successfully put out by the time crews arrived.

The department responded to several other tree fires, and several grass fires during the night.

All units were deployed when another call of a grass fire at U.S. 12 and Second Avenue was made at 10:37 p.m.

With no WWFD crews available, crews from Walla Walla County Fire District 4 handled that fire.

College Place, Walla Walla County

A College Place Fire Department official said things were much slower in College Place. The CPFD had online one fireworks-related fire call. A garbage can caught fire on Southeast Sixth Street after fireworks were improperly disposed of.

Walla Walla County Fire District No. 4 spent much of the night providing mutual assistance in Walla Walla. However, the rural Walla Walla County department did have several of its own nature fires to respond to, according to a spokesperson.

Neither the CPPD nor the WWCFD4 jurisdictions saw any residential fires, officials said.

Enforcement issues

While aerial fireworks are illegal to buy and discharge in Walla Walla, they are legal and available to purchase at county stands that are close to the city limits, including the stands at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds.

Walla Walla City Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain told the U-B before the holiday that the Walla Walla City Council discussed fireworks at a recent meeting and might consider working officials from College Place and Walla Walla County to align the type of fireworks than can be ignited and when.

Chamberlain said the effort would require more conversations with the other jurisdictions.