“Mr. TNT and Mr. W, both local fireworks retailers, have agreed to postpone the sale of any fireworks until tomorrow,” said Howard County Judge Mark Barr early Monday morning. “It's the same agreement they have arrived at with counties down near the Austin area that are in the same sort of predicament we're in.”

The predicament Howard County faces is the threat of wildfires caused by errant aerial fireworks, according to Barr, a problem he and county commissioners have attempted to stamp out with firework bans and restrictions over the past several weeks.

Having already signed a ban on all fireworks until July 5 into effect, state emergency management officials failed to back the county commissioners' decision, leaving Barr to negotiate with the vendors.

And while the agreement will keep fireworks out of the hands of local residents until Tuesday, once sales begin there will be no restriction on aerial-type missiles and rockets despite the court's recent attempt to ban those with fins or sticks.

“They will be allowed to sell fireworks with fins and sticks when they open,” said Barr, who — along with county commissioners — has been fighting to restrict the aerial missiles, which include bottle rockets.

Currently, counties cannot ban fireworks sales and use unless the Keetch-Byram Drought Index wildfire assessment system surpasses 575. Barr said the drought index was between 400 and 500 this week, but is expected to drop slightly thanks to rains over the weekend.

“I talked to (Howard County Volunteer Fire Chief) Tommy Sullivan and he's a little more comfortable going into this week, thanks to the rains,” said Barr. “However, he and his men will be out and about looking for fireworks violations this week. We'll also have more deputies out patrolling in an effort to keep this holiday from turning into a tragedy.”

Exceedingly dry conditions, combined with plenty of dry grass and brush in the area, prompted county officials to consider either banning or severely limiting the sale and use of fireworks during the holiday. County firefighters have battled more than 200 grass and brush fires so far this year.

In the end, however, Barr said the lack of support at the state level has made the matter an issue of money, not safety.

“The fireworks people threatened to sue the governor and Howard County over this,” said Barr. “In the end it's the money that talks. I really stuck my head in a hornets nest on this matter. And the funny thing is there isn't a person in the county that I've talked to that's against a fireworks ban except the fireworks people. Not a one.”

Persons setting off fireworks within Big Spring city limits are subject to fines of up to $200, while anyone using them on county roads or private property without the owner's permission can be fined $500.

Barr, for one, promised strict enforcement of the ordinance.

“Anyone who violates it will be fined $500 — it's that simple,” he said.

Contact Staff Writer Thomas Jenkins at 263-7331 ext. 232 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it