CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct the minimum fine associated with the illegal use of fireworks, which is $250.

Longmont fireworks stands Olde Glory — Two locations, at Colo. Highway 66 and Pace Street, and at 2300 Clover Basin Drive behind Buffalo Wild Wings TNT Fireworks — Two locations, outside the Walmarts at 2514 Main St. and 2285 Ken Pratt Blvd. Liberty Tax Service — Has a stand near 1225 Ken Pratt Boulevard. Phantom Fireworks — One stand, at the Twin Peaks Mall.

LONGMONT — Technically, fireworks sales could start in Longmont a week ago. But Diana Tillman wasn’t taking chances.

Not after last year’s last-minute ban.

“We didn’t want to start until we had the fire permit in our hands,” said Diana Tillman of TNT Fireworks, which opened two stands in Longmont on Wednesday, near the city’s two Walmarts.

So — delayed boom. And not just for TNT. All six of the city’s fireworks stands waited until this week to open for business. In some cases, late in the week; Phantom Fireworks, near the Twin Peaks Mall, expected to start sales Thursday.

“We didn’t want to go through what we did last year,” said Joee Witter, a regional manager for Phantom.

Last year, in the midst of an especially bad wildfire season, Gov. John Hickenlooper announced a statewide ban on private fireworks. Longmont was one of the last holdouts, not banning fireworks inside the city until June 28, by which time vendors were already up and running.

Fire authorities had decided the risk of a burn inside the town was low, but had second thoughts after several surrounding communities passed bans and public opinion swung strongly against fireworks sales.

“We did not want to become a source of fireworks for people in other communities that had banned them,” Cmdr. Jeff Satur said after the 2012 city ban was announced.

This year, there’s no ban. But Longmont police still want residents to be careful. Users of illegal fireworks — in general, anything that leaves the ground or explodes — can expect a ticket and a minimum $250 fine, Satur said. Personal fireworks may not be used on public streets and should not be taken to the city’s July Fourth display.

Eight police officers and firefighters will patrol the city in teams beginning Friday and ending July 5 to enforce the fireworks rules, Satur said.

The sellers agreed: better to be safe. Witter said that although he wasn’t happy about having to shut down so abruptly last year, he figured the firefighters knew what they were doing.

“From my perspective, nobody knows the community better than the local fire department,” Witter said. “If they decided to do the same thing this year, we would support it despite the financial hit. Safety first. Community first.”

Scott Rochat can be reached at 303-684-5220 or srochat@times-call.com.