HERE LATER THIS EVENING. RAMPING UP 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS. IT IS NOW LEGAL TO SET OFF FIREWORKS ON JULY 3RD AND FOURTH HERE IN DES MOINES. LAST NIGHT, THE DES MOINES CITY COUNCIL RELUCTANTLY VOTED FOR THE ORDINANCE CHANGE DUE TO A NEW STATE LAW. vlog SENIOR REPORTER TODD MAGEL IS LIVE AT CITY HALL TO EXPLAIN THESE FIREWORKS CHANGES. TODD. WELL, STACIE AND BEN, FOR YEARS, THE CITY OF DES MOINES DID NOT ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SHOOT OFF FIREWORKS. BUT NOW, WITH THE NEW STATE LAW THAT IS CHANGING, AND WE TALKED TO A FIREWORKS STORE OWNER WHO HOPES THAT THIS WILL INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS. THERE’S A WOOD, SPARKLERS. MARY RIEDEL AND HER KIDS ARE SHOPPING FOR FIREWORKS. IT’S THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS THAT THEY PLAN TO SET OFF THEIR OWN, ALL THANKS TO A CHANGE IN STATE LAW AND NEW CITY ORDINANCES. IT’S BEEN KIND OF CONFUSING. THAT’S WHY WE USUALLY JUST GO TO THE FIREWORKS SHOWS. BUT NOW THAT IT’S CHANGED, WE’RE EXCITED TO DO IT AS A FAMILY. RIEDEL IS SHOPPING AT WILD WILLY’S FIREWORKS ON THE NORTH SIDE, SO THIS IS GOING TO GO 150FT UP INTO THE SKY. STEVEN GREGG IS THE FIREWORKS MANAGER, AND I’LL JUST WALK YOU RIGHT THROUGH THE VIDEO. HE’S ORDERING MORE STOCK THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE NEW LAW. YEAH, WE’RE DEFINITELY A LOT MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL. PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT AND SHOT FIREWORKS IN DES MOINES, AS I’M SURE WE’RE ALL AWARE. BUT NOW WE’RE BRINGING IN THE CROWD THAT DOES LIKE TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND ACTUALLY LISTENS TO WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL SAYS. THE DES MOINES CITY COUNCIL RELUCTANTLY VOTED MONDAY NIGHT. WE’RE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT’S STATE LAW, AND WE HAVE A DUTY TO FOLLOW STATE LAW, NOT BECAUSE ANY OF US, ANY OF US, LIKE ANY OF US, HAVE AN INTEREST IN IN DOING THIS. IN THE PAST, CITY LEADERS BANNED PRIVATE FIREWORK DISPLAYS, SAYING THEY’RE TOO DANGEROUS AND DISRUPTIVE. BUT NOW THEY MUST FOLLOW THE STATE LAW. NOW THAT OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY ON THE THIRD AND THE FOURTH TO LEGALLY SHOOT OFF FIREWORKS IN OUR CITY. THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR THEM TO BE SHOOTING THEM OFF ANY OTHER TIME. DES MOINES POLICE ARE WORKING ON A PLAN TO FOLLOW CITY COUNCIL WISHES. WHAT WE’RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS PREPARING OURSELVES FOR THE GOING OUT AND EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE THAT DURING THESE CERTAIN HOURS, IT’S LEGAL AND THERE’S REALLY NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. BUT ONCE YOU GET OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS, THE HOURS WHEN PEOPLE NEED TO SLEEP AND THOSE THINGS, THAT’S WHERE WE CAN TAKE THE ENFORCEMENT ACTION. SERGEANT PAUL PARIZEK MENTIONED THE HOURS. HERE THEY ARE. SO FIREWORKS ARE ALLOWED ON JULY 3RD FROM 9 A.M. UNTIL 10 P.M., JULY 4TH FROM 9 A.M. UNTIL 11 P.M. AND IF YOU’RE LOOKING FAR ENOUGH AHEAD, DECEMBER 31ST FROM 9 A.M. TO 11:59 P.M. THAT, OF COURSE, IS FOR NEW YEAR’S, AND POLICE WILL BE ANNOUNCING THEIR NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT PLAN FOR FIREWORKS COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE’RE LIVE AT CITY HALL.
Des Moines allows fireworks on July 3 and 4 following state law change
Updated: 8:31 AM CDT Jun 13, 2025
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Des Moines residents can now legally set off fireworks on July 3 and 4 after the city council voted to comply with a new state law. Mary Reindel, a local shopper, expressed her excitement about the change, saying, "It's been kind of confusing. That's why we usually just go to the fireworks shows. But now that it's changed, we're excited to do it as a family." Reindel and her children are shopping for fireworks at Wild Willy's Fireworks on the North side, marking the first time in years they plan to set off their own.Steven Greig, the fireworks manager at Wild Willy's Fireworks, is preparing for increased demand due to the new law. "We're definitely a lot more excited about the potential. People have always bought and shot fireworks in Des Moines, as I'm sure we're all aware, but now we're bringing in the crowd that does like to follow the rules and actually listens to what City Council says," he said.The Des Moines City Council voted on Monday night to comply with the state law, despite reservations. Council member Josh Mandelbaum stated, "We're doing this because it's state law and we have a duty to follow state law, not because any of us have an interest in doing this."Previously, city leaders had banned private fireworks displays, citing safety and disruption concerns. However, with the new state law, they must now permit them. Council member Joe Gatto emphasized, "Now that our neighbors have an opportunity on the third and the fourth to legally shoot off fireworks in our city, there's no excuse for them to be shooting them off any other time."Des Moines police are developing a plan to enforce the new regulations. Sgt. Paul Parizek explained, "What we're doing right now is preparing ourselves for the going out and explaining to people that during these certain hours, it's legal and there's really nothing that we can do about it. But once you get outside of those hours, the hours when people need to sleep and, and those things, that's where we can take the enforcement action."Fireworks are now permitted on July 3 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and December 31 from 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Des Moines police plan to announce new enforcement strategies in the coming weeks.» Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines residents can now legally set off fireworks on July 3 and 4 after the city council voted to comply with a new state law.
Mary Reindel, a local shopper, expressed her excitement about the change, saying, "It's been kind of confusing. That's why we usually just go to the fireworks shows. But now that it's changed, we're excited to do it as a family." Reindel and her children are shopping for fireworks at Wild Willy's Fireworks on the North side, marking the first time in years they plan to set off their own.
Steven Greig, the fireworks manager at Wild Willy's Fireworks, is preparing for increased demand due to the new law. "We're definitely a lot more excited about the potential. People have always bought and shot fireworks in Des Moines, as I'm sure we're all aware, but now we're bringing in the crowd that does like to follow the rules and actually listens to what City Council says," he said.
The Des Moines City Council voted on Monday night to comply with the state law, despite reservations. Council member Josh Mandelbaum stated, "We're doing this because it's state law and we have a duty to follow state law, not because any of us have an interest in doing this."
Previously, city leaders had banned private fireworks displays, citing safety and disruption concerns. However, with the new state law, they must now permit them. Council member Joe Gatto emphasized, "Now that our neighbors have an opportunity on the third and the fourth to legally shoot off fireworks in our city, there's no excuse for them to be shooting them off any other time."
Des Moines police are developing a plan to enforce the new regulations. Sgt. Paul Parizek explained, "What we're doing right now is preparing ourselves for the going out and explaining to people that during these certain hours, it's legal and there's really nothing that we can do about it. But once you get outside of those hours, the hours when people need to sleep and, and those things, that's where we can take the enforcement action."
Fireworks are now permitted on July 3 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and December 31 from 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Des Moines police plan to announce new enforcement strategies in the coming weeks.
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