Where you can legally blow things up to celebrate the nation's independence

Though personal fireworks are banned in several spots throughout the county, they're allowed during certain hours in others. For maximum detonation time, find friends in Skykomish. (seattlepi.com file photo) less Though personal fireworks are banned in several spots throughout the county, they're allowed during certain hours in others. For maximum detonation time, find friends in Skykomish. (seattlepi.com file ... more Photo: Scott Eklund, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Photo: Scott Eklund, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Where you can legally blow things up to celebrate the nation's independence 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Fourth of July fireworks can go on sale legally in Washington at noon Saturday, meaning some of us will soon be hearing wails, cracks and booms from gleeful neighborhood pyromaniacs.

But the discharge of personal fireworks is banned in 23 King County cities and towns, including Seattle. Local governments can also restrict sales hours.

Unincorporated King County and 15 cities within the county allow for restricted use of fireworks with limited hours of legal use. Only one town -- Skykomish -- has no restrictions, meaning it conforms to state-imposed restrictions and its inhabitants can start firing off explosives as soon as they come home from the fireworks stand on Saturday.

The state Fire Marshal's Office offers a list of fireworks rules for each county and municipality in the state. Here's the breakdown for King County:

Banned

Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Burien, Carnation, Clyde Hill, Des Moines, Federal Way, Hunts Point, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Medina, Newcastle, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Tukwila, Woodinville, Yarrow Point

Restricted use

King County (unincorporated): 9 a.m. to midnight July 4

Algona: Noon to 11 p.m. July 3; Noon July 4 to 2 a.m. July 5

Auburn: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4

Black Diamond: 9 a.m. to midnight July 4

Bothell: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4

Covington: 9 a.m. to midnight July 4

Duvall: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4

Enumclaw: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4

Kent: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4

Maple Valley: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4

Mercer Island: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Normandy Park: Noon to 11 p.m. June 28; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 29 to July 4

North Bend: 9 a.m. to midnight July 4

Pacific: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4

Snoqualmie: 9 a.m. to midnight July 4

No restrictions (follows minimum state law)



Skykomish: Noon to 11 p.m. June 28; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 29 to July 3; 9 a.m. to midnight July 4; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 5



Would you rather watch a show put on by someone else? The Fire Marshal's Office also offers a list of public fireworks displays throughout the state.

Of course, in Seattle there's the Seafair Summer Fourth at Lake Union, where the fireworks are set to go off sometime around 10:10 p.m.