Area officials want residents to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, but they are asking them to take extra care this year.

Columbus Fire Chief Joel Thacker is asking city residents to voluntarily refrain from using fireworks because of the dry weather conditions.

The chief encouraged residents to enjoy public fireworks displays put on by professionals next week but asked that residents do not light or shoot off any fireworks themselves while the city is under the countywide burn ban.

“We want the public to leave the fireworks displays to the experts this year,” Thacker said.

The QMIX Musical Fireworks, Ceraland Fourth of July Community Celebration fireworks and most other public fireworks displays remain on schedule as of Thursday, with the exception of tonight’s Old-Fashioned Independence Day Celebration in Hope and the Brown County Lions Club show.

The rest of the Hope celebration will go on as scheduled. Lori Robertson, manager of the Hope Area Welcome Center, said the celebration’s fireworks show was canceled after consulting with local firefighters.

The Brown County Lions Club fireworks show, scheduled for the Fourth of July at the Brown County High School track, has been postponed until Sept. 8 due to the drought conditions and risk of fire.

Ceraland is working with the Elizabethtown Volunteer Fire Department to determine whether to have its fireworks Wednesday night as part of its celebration, said Jim Kreutzjans, Ceraland general manager.

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