Celebrating the Fourth of July safely in Juneau

As the community prepares to celebrate the Fourth of July, the City and Borough of Juneau has these guidelines for personal fireworks use and recommendations for social gatherings:

Personal use fireworks

CBJ requests that citizens desiring to use fireworks do so in a manner that is considerate of others. Fireworks can create loud, sometimes startling noise, which can have an unfavorable impact on those within hearing range. Please keep in mind that the use of fireworks in the community offers some unique challenges. Juneau’s topography results in loud sounds reflecting off of mountains or water, and sound often travels farther than intended.

Fireworks are allowed:

• Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. (on July 4)
• Saturday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Social gatherings

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise sharply in Alaska, the safest way to celebrate the Fourth of July is with your household or small bubble. Large social gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 by people who are infected and attend these events. Various gatherings has recently played a notable role in the spread of COVID-19 around the state. If you plan to gather, please do so cautiously to reduce the risk of spreading the virus:

• Outdoors is better than indoors and small groups are safest
• Stay 6-feet apart from non-household members
• Cover your mouth, nose, and chin with a face mask
• Limit time together and restrict physical contact to air hugs or waves
• If anyone in your group is at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19, or they have people at home that are, they will need to be especially careful
• If you’re feeling even mildly sick or are experiencing a sudden onset of new symptoms, stay home and call your health care provider or the COVID-19 Screening Hotline – 586-6000, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily – to ask about testing.

CBJ wishes everyone a safe and healthy Fourth of July holiday.