A firework vendor in Detroit – Photo by The AANews.

LANSING — Michigan’s state fire marshal is weighing recommending bans on fireworks and burning in parts of the state with extremely dry conditions heading into the Fourth of July weekend.

“It is being discussed at the state level, and at this point, we are not taking any actions for a burn ban or a fireworks ban,” State Fire Marshal Julie Secontine said this week.

But at least a few communities are not waiting on the state for guidance.

On Thursday, the city of Dearborn Heights announced that it was banning consumer fireworks until further notice, in response to extremely dry conditions. 

“City officials have expressed concern over the possibility of grass and structure fires that could result from both fireworks and open burning and has exercised its authority to issue such a ban,” the city’s statement said.

Indian Springs Metropark in White Lake canceled its fireworks show scheduled for Thursday evening.

The village of Holly in Oakland County, Washington Township in Macomb County and Canton Township in Wayne County also banned the use of consumer fireworks because of dry conditions, according to their websites.

Dearborn, meanwhile, has not issued a ban, but it released a statement on Thursday asking residents to be cautious. The warning was also extended to Melvindale, which shares a fire department with Dearborn.

“Fireworks can easily catch dry brush and grass on fire,” Dearborn Fire Chief Joseph Murray said in a statement. “The State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources has designated southeastern Michigan as being in “extreme fire danger.”

It appears ever since the state approved a controversial law about fireworks that allows the use of consumer-grade fireworks on the day before, day of and the day after a national holiday, a growing headache has ensued for many communities.

In Dearborn, it appears residents are buying consumer fireworks and discharging them whenever they want, disregarding the laws. 

With Muslims partaking in Ramadan, residents are staying up until the early morning— and many of them are discharging fireworks, breaking both the laws and city noise ordinances.

“I have heard fireworks every night on my street,” said one local woman who lives in east Dearborn.

She added that it’s mostly children who are discharging the fireworks. The noise has awakened her family and they’ve called police on several occasions.

The Dearborn Police Department said it has been issuing citations of up to $500 for residents who break the law. In addition, those residents can also receive other hefty fines for breaking the city’s noise and littering ordinances.

“Every year, thousands of dollars in property damage is reported due to fires caused by the unsafe use of fireworks,” the city of Dearborn said in a statement. “Additionally, it’s estimated that 200 people per day go to the emergency room for fireworks-related injuries during the period surrounding the Fourth of July.”

The new restrictions appear to be leaving local Arab American fireworks tent owners scrambling to make money at the last minute.

Tent owners set up in the Warrendale area were uncooperative with The AANews when asked to be interviewed. 

Over at a tent located near Warren Ave. and Greenfield, a sign reads “Buy 1, get 8 free.” 

At another tent, located on Greenfield, an owner prohibited The AANews from taking photos, because “last year you published an article that said ‘Fireworks were dangerous,'” he said. 

Another tent owner set up on Ford Road and the Southfield Freeway told The AANews that he didn’t want to be featured in the article because “it’s bad for business”, although he claimed to be following all the laws, including not selling fireworks to minors.