The Bellingham Police Department and Bellingham Fire Department are reminding residents today that all consumer fireworks are prohibited within Bellingham city limits -- and they mean all of them. Sparklers, fountains, Roman candles, aerial shells, and even fireworks legally purchased elsewhere in Whatcom County are banned the moment you bring them inside city boundaries. Extra officers will be working this evening specifically to respond to fireworks calls.
Bellingham has maintained a total ban on consumer fireworks for years, based on the combination of urban density, dry summer conditions in the Pacific Northwest, and the consistent pattern of preventable injuries and structure fires that accompany each Fourth of July. The Bellingham Fire Department notes that firefighters respond to preventable injuries and fires every year tied to consumer fireworks. The ban applies to everything -- there is no category of firework that is legal to light off inside city limits.
This distinction matters because fireworks rules vary significantly across Whatcom County. In unincorporated areas of the county, certain consumer fireworks are legal during a defined window around the Fourth. Ferndale, Lynden, and other jurisdictions each have their own rules. Residents who pick up fireworks at a roadside stand in unincorporated Whatcom County may not realize those same fireworks become illegal the moment they drive back into Bellingham. The city's ban is not a restriction on certain types -- it is a complete prohibition.
The good news: you do not need to light anything yourself to enjoy a spectacular show. The 2026 Peoples Bank Fourth of July Spectacular will launch professional fireworks over Bellingham Bay from Zuanich Point Park at approximately 10:30 p.m. tonight. The event is hosted by the Port of Bellingham and Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, with family activities starting at 4 p.m. -- games, food vendors, entertainment, and live performances before the fireworks launch. Zuanich Point Park is located at 2600 Harbor Loop Drive, right along the waterfront.
The show is free and open to the public. Parking near the park fills quickly; many families arrive early and set up along the waterfront to claim a spot. The bay provides a clean sightline with the fireworks reflecting off the water, and on a clear July evening, the display is visible from multiple neighborhoods across the north end of Bellingham.
Violations of the fireworks ban can result in fines. The BPD has historically issued citations during Fourth of July enforcement sweeps, and this year's message from both the Police and Fire departments is direct: leave the fireworks to the professionals. For information on the city's fireworks ordinance, visit cob.org/news.
Birch Bay, located about 20 miles northwest of Bellingham in unincorporated Whatcom County, has its own Fourth of July fireworks tradition. For what to expect at the beach communities outside the city this weekend, full details on beach safety and the fireworks schedule are here.
If you see or hear illegal fireworks in Bellingham tonight, you can report them by calling the non-emergency line or by flagging down one of the extra officers on patrol. The BPD asks for your patience given the volume of calls on Fourth of July evenings. Have a safe Independence Day.
