Harborview treats 86 people with fireworks-caused injuries from the past week

As of 11am Monday, July 6, 2026, clinicians at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle have treated a total of 86 people with fireworks-caused injuries incurred in the past week. 

This represents a 65% increase from last year, when Harborview treated 52 such injuries around Independence Day.

Tim Fredrickson, the hospital’s associate chief nursing officer, characterized the injuries: 

• 32 involve hands
• 15 involve eyes
• 13 involve other body areas (e.g., head, legs, abdomen)
• 26 involve multiple body areas

 “This is a troubling increase,” Fredrickson said.

“More importantly, these are all individuals whose holiday ended in the emergency department instead of with family and friends. Many of the injuries are severe, including burns, hand and eye trauma that may carry lifelong consequences.

"Most were preventable.”

Harborview is the only designated Level I adult and pediatric trauma center in Washington, and serves as the regional trauma and burn center for Alaska, Idaho and Montana.

Read more...

Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Fourth of July

Cartoon by Whitney Potter 

Read more...

Seattle Seafair 4th of July at GasWorks Park

Spectators at Gasworks Park

Seattle Seafair 4th of July

You can view Seattle fireworks from three different locations around Lake Union

GasWorks Park at the north end of the lake has both free entry for seating on the hillside and reserved seats in bleachers which cost. Either way you need to reserve a ticket. 

Lake Union Park at the south end of the lake also has a choice of free and reserved seating.

Both venues will have food trucks and a beer garden.

The third venue is a cruise around the lake - sold out already.

Here's the website for more information and tickets.

Read more...

City of Kenmore 4th of July fireworks show at Log Boom Park

Kenmore 4th of July

Saturday, July 4, 2026
7:30pm - 10:30pm: Fireworks show begins at 10pm
Log Boom Park, 6100 NE 175th St., Kenmore

The event kicks off at 7:30pm with music, food trucks, free activities, games, and crafts, and the fireworks show will begin at 10:00pm. The fireworks show is 20 minutes.

Skip the Traffic—Shuttle, Walk, or Bike to Kenmore’s 4th of July Celebration!:

Getting there is easy:

• Free shuttle service runs from the Kenmore Park & Ride (7346 NE Bothell Way) to Log Boom Park starting at 6:00pm until the end of the event. *After the event, practice patience as the shuttles move from NE 175th Street to the Kenmore Park & Ride*
• ADA-accessible shuttles are available; please note, no onsite ADA parking will be provided.
• Limited overflow parking is available at The Vine Church (shuttle does not stop there).
• Expect street closures on Bothell Way NE and 61st Ave NE beginning at 3:00pm
• Limited parking is available on the north side of NE 175th St.
• No parking or drop-offs along Bothell Way NE.

*NOTE: The 61st Ave NE hill by Log Boom Park will be closed 1pm- 11pm. Use the detour route*

*Log Boom Park Parking lot will be closed all day on 7/4 for the event setup and activities

Parking lots

These parking lots will be available for event parking on 7/4 from 6pm-11pm:

• The Vine Church- Upper Lot: 6214 Bothell Way NE, Kenmore, WA 98028
• Kenmore Park & Ride: Park & Ride, NE Bothell Way &, Kenmore, WA 98028

Read more...

Legal Sale and Use of Fireworks

Olympia – As we approach the 4th of July, many are excited to celebrate with fireworks. 

The State Fire Marshal’s Office encourages you to celebrate safely and legally and preferably go to a public event.

 

These are the approved dates and times of legal sales and use of fireworks in Washington State:

Read more...

Harborview treated 52 people for fireworks-related injuries

Harborview reports that as of 9am on Monday, July 7, 2025 clinicians at Harborview Medical Center have treated 52 people who sustained fireworks-related injuries during the July Fourth holiday weekend. 

 

The injuries are characterized as:

• 21 involving hands
• 14 involving eyes
• 9 involving other body areas
• 8 involving multiple areas (such as hands and eyes)

Harborview is the only designated Level I adult and pediatric trauma center in Washington, and serves as the regional trauma and burn center for Alaska, Idaho and Montana. 

 

Read more...

Fireworks shows around the region

Thanks to Congresswoman Suzan DelBene for this map of fireworks shows in our area.

Personal fireworks are illegal but there are half a dozen shows around Washington's 1st Congressional District.

Read more...

The Fourth of July: a pet's least-favorite holiday

Lost dog
Photo by Dale Lydin

About half of all pets that go missing every year are lost around the Fourth of July. 

Fortunately there are steps you can take to help keep your dog, cat, or other animals safe from the bang, boom, and pop of fireworks.

Before the Fireworks

• Exercise your pet in the daytime before fireworks begin. That can help tire them out so they sleep through the peak of the noise.
• Check your pet’s license, ID tag, and/or microchip, and make sure the information is up to date in case your pet escapes. Pets with ID are much more likely to be returned to their owners.
• Create a safe space in your home. Set up a quiet, comfortable room with familiar bedding and toys where they can relax. You may also consider using a white noise machine, a fan, or soft music to mask some of the fireworks noise. Cats often like a covered crate or a space under a bed where they can hide.
• Check with your veterinarian about calming aids that could help, and be sure to have those items in hand well before Independence Day.

During the Fireworks

• Keep your pet indoors. If they’re normally kept outside, consider bringing them into a well-ventilated garage, shed, or basement. Don’t leave them outdoors, as they could hurt themselves trying to escape.
• Close windows and curtains to block the flashes and reduce outside noise. Keep pets occupied with their favorite toys, chews, or treat puzzles.
• Stay calm, and don’t yell at or scold your pet if they seem frightened.
• Don’t assume that your pet won’t react to fireworks just because you haven’t had problems in the past. Sometimes, pets become sensitive to loud noises later in life.
• Never bring a pet to a fireworks show

Remember: Cats hide - Dogs run

• You may find your cat in places you didn't think possible
• Your dog may be blocks away from home

Read more...

Where it's legal to discharge fireworks

Not anywhere in King County

No location in King County is legal to discharge fireworks.

In Snohomish county, with date and time restrictions:

• Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Monroe and Snohomish
• Darrington and Stanwood
• Sultan

In Kitsap county, also with date and time restrictions:

• Bremerton
• Port Orchard

Fox13 created a comprehensive list which you can read here.

Read more...

The 3rd of July Family Celebration is a beloved tradition in Mountlake Terrace

3rd of July at Ballinger Park in Mountlake Terrace

3rd of July Family Celebration

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Ballinger Park, 23000 Lakeview Drive

This year’s festivities will begin at 6:00pm. The fun will include pie eating contests, field games, a DJ and food trucks. A fantastic fireworks display over beautiful Lake Ballinger will be the highlight of the event when darkness falls at approximately 10:00pm.

2025 Food Truck Lineup

• Ryan's REZ-ipes
• Yummy Box 
• The Vet Chef 
• Billy Cheesesteaks 
• WiseGuy 
• Where Ya At Matt? 
• MoMoCha 
• Yay Big Yay High Yay Ice Cream 
• Sugar and Spoon

Although personal fireworks are illegal in the city, the City Council authorized a fireworks display with a professional pyrotechnics company. The fireworks show will take place over the lake. The boat launch and waterfront areas, including the new fishing pier, will be closed. 

The spectator viewing area will be on the hillside within the park – directly to the south and southeast of the Mickey Corso Community Clubhouse (also known as the Mountlake Terrace Senior/Community Center).

Park and clubhouse restrooms will be closed to the public but there will be portable restrooms on site. Strong attendance is expected so please plan ahead and be prepared for any weather conditions. Please bring chairs or blankets for seating. Drivers are encouraged to avoid this area as there may be congestion.

There is no onsite parking available, so walking, biking and rideshares are strongly encouraged. 

Limited parking for guests with disabilities is available at the clubhouse parking area. 

Other options include free parking at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center or paid parking at the Nile Shrine at 6601 244th Street SW followed by a walk along the Lakeview Trail. If you are taking the bus, Community Transit route 130 drops off across the street from Ballinger Park 

More info: email or call 425-744-6287

Read more...

Seafair 4th of July - Gas Works Park and Lake Union Park

Seafair 4th of July

Brought to You by Amazon

Two locations. One Iconic Celebration.

Get Tickets

Seafair’s 4th of July celebration returns bigger than ever with events at both Gas Works Park and Lake Union Park. Enjoy a full afternoon of entertainment, food, games, and a fireworks show lighting up the sky.

Gates Open: 3:00pm

Event Hours: 3:00pm - 11:00pm

Fireworks Show: Begins around 10:20pm

GATE CLOSURE NOTICE: Due to capacity protocols, the gates at Gas Works Park will close by 8:00pm or once full capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Reserved seats have access until 10:00pm.

Read more...

Highland Terrace 4th of July Kiddie Parade

Highland Terrace 4th of July Kiddie Parade

We have been doing this fun, very old fashioned little parade for years.

The kids are pulled, pushed or drive themselves around the block a few times and then we stop to share some refreshments. There are always surprises, too.

Cookies and juice contributions are encouraged. 

Meet at 2nd NW and 159th at 11am on the 4th

Read more...

4th of July in Kenmore at Log Boom Park

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Skip the Traffic—Shuttle, Walk, or Bike to Kenmore’s 4th of July Celebration!

You're invited to an unforgettable night of family fun, food trucks, live music, games, and fireworks at Log Boom Park! 

Festivities begin at 7:30pm, with the fireworks show lighting up the sky at 10pm.

Getting there is easy:

• Free shuttle service runs from the Kenmore Park & Ride to Log Boom Park starting at 6pm through the end of the event.
• ADA-accessible shuttles are available; please note, no onsite ADA parking is available.
• Limited overflow parking is available at The Vine Church (shuttle does not stop there).
• Expect street closures on Bothell Way NE and 61st Ave NE beginning at 3pm.
• Limited parking is available on the north side of NE 175th St.
• No parking or drop-offs along Bothell Way NE.

Thank you to Frank Lumber for sponsoring this community event. Find full event details and updates here.

Fireworks are Illegal in Kenmore

With the 4th of July approaching, here is a reminder that per Kenmore Municipal Code 8.10, all fireworks are illegal in Kenmore. 

Because of the high volume of police calls on the 4th of July, please report fireworks disturbances to the non-emergency line (206-296-3311) and be patient with responses. Celebrate safely!

Read more...

Fireworks roundup - smoke in Woodway and a death in Redmond

Quiet 4th of July for
Shoreline Fire

Harborview Medical Center treated approximately 50 patients to date for fireworks-related injuries.

However, Shoreline Fire says that they had no reported fireworks related injuries!

There was a lawn fire in Woodway which produced an impressive amount of smoke, but the residents had put out the fire before the department arrived and before it reached any structures. 

The smoke stayed in the atmosphere for a very long time.

A Bothell man died trying to light a mortar-style firework in Redmond. (The Seattle Times)

And our columnist Gordon Snyder taught Charlie to love fireworks!

Read more...

Travels with Charlie: How Charlie learned to love fireworks

Charlie at Horizon View before the fireworks started

Story and photos by Gordon Snyder

During the afternoon before the firework explosions started, we headed for a Spectacular Independence Day Walk around Horizon View Park. Afternoon sun highlighted our lazy break on the grass. A few fireworks were popping in the distance, but not enough to bother Charlie. Yet...

Charlie has freaked out about fireworks since he moved in with us. For the 4th and New Years, we are always surrounded by blasting fireworks later in the evening. It sounds like a war zone. Charlie would hide in the basement bathroom. He felt terrible.

This year we tried a new approach to help reduce his Firewok's Fear.

Food not Fear for Charlie

After we finished BBQing some chicken. I chopped some BBQ thigh meat and put it into a bag for Fireworks Time in an hour or so.

 
My thought is: Charlie is a Chow Hound. Anything for Food. Food makes him focus on Food.

So maybe he won't fear the fireworks if there’s a tiny morsel of BBQ.

Slowly, as the fireworks began, we started a game BOOOM and a FOOD distraction…

After a big blast, I’d give him a tiny morsel. DIdn’t take long before Charlie began to forget the fireworks and was more interested in the treat. Soon he became more comfortable with the blasts because they were becoming a signal for some BBQ taste.

This next step blew me away. After a nearby loud one would blow up, we started playing by barking and chasing sorta like he does with a squirrel. He got excited when something blasted. He’d bark and scurry around a bit. Catch a piece of chicken and wait for the next explosion.

The evening was a beautiful success where we watched fireworks together (sorta) and he nibbled.

He never spent any time scared and hiding in the bathroom…

We all enjoyed this Independence Day. Hope yours was wonderful also.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder

Read more...

4th of July in Edmonds

Grand Marshal Teresa Wippel
Photo by Glen Nelson

From MyEdmondsNews.com and MLTNews.com

Thousands of spectators lined downtown streets Thursday for the annual Edmonds Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July parade — a small-town tradition that has been around since 1907. 

Veterans proudly marched, horses deftly pranced and school musicians kept the beat, much to the delight of an enthusiastic crowd of onlookers.

Teresa Wippel, publisher of My Neighborhood New Network, was named as Grand Marshal

In 2009, Wippel founded My Edmonds News, which now part of the My Neighborhood News Network — a vital community news organization that also includes MLTnews and Lynnwood Today. 

These three news organizations give businesses, organizations and residents the opportunity to communicate important news, events and updates, offering South County residents quality journalism and community stories.

See pictures of the parade here

Read more...

Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Happy Fourth

Previous cartoons by Whitney Potter here

Read more...

UWMed: Harborview readies for annual wave of fireworks injuries

Dr. Morris says: Don't play with fireworks, don't hold them in your hand, and don't use them around children. Photo courtesy UW Med

Every year around the Fourth of July, Harborview Medical Center, the region’s only Level I trauma and burn center, treats about 55 patients for fireworks-related injuries. The hospital's Emergency Department will be staffed to care for the influx of injuries expected this week.

“We see a lot of fireworks-related injuries,” said Dr. Stephen Morris in emergency medicine at UW Medicine in Seattle. “The most devastating injuries that we see are those to the hands and eyes.”

“Fireworks and alcohol certainly don’t mix,” he added. “That’s a big portion of the injuries we see related to people who are intoxicated and just don’t have the wherewithal to use them properly.”

Morris encourages people to attend a public fireworks display run by professionals to celebrate Independence Day.

Read more...

Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Declaration of Independence

 

Previous cartoons by Whitney Potter here

Read more...

Protect your pet this Fourth of July holiday

After the 4th of July 2022, Zoe wandered for two
 days but couldn't find her way back home.
Photo by owner Ethan

It's no secret that more pets go missing around the Fourth of July than any other time of the year. 

The bangs, booms, and pops of fireworks can be quite scary for our furry friends, and they scamper off in search of a good hiding place.

In 2022, a Ridgecrest dog named Zoe bolted when the fireworks started and spent the next two days wandering near 185th on both sides of the freeway. (See article)

Her owners searched extensively, following all the sightings and happily found her hiding in a back yard by North City Park.

To help your pet cope with the noise from fireworks, and reduce the chances that it runs away, Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) offers these tips.

• Keep your pet secured indoors in the quietest room of your home while fireworks are going off. You can also use soothing music or television as a distraction. Some pets will stay calmer when placed in a secure crate in a darkened, quiet room.
• If your pet is normally kept outside, bring them inside or put them in a well-ventilated garage or shed or in a basement during fireworks displays.
• Make sure your pet is licensed and has an ID tag or microchip. Pets with ID have a much greater chance of being returned to their owners. If you need to license your pet and you live in the RASKC service area, you can license online.
• Some pets may benefit from prescription or over-the-counter medications to help keep them calmer. Check with your regular veterinarian for more information about these options.
• Don’t assume that your pet won’t react just because you haven’t had problems in the past. Sometimes, pets become sensitive to loud noises later in life.
• If your pet is lost, check in person at all local shelters, and check back often. It may take some time before spooked pets are brought to shelters.

Help for Owners with Missing Pets from RASKC

Owners whose pets are missing can visit kingcounty.gov/LostAPet to fill out a missing pet report and find other tips and information that can help. There is also a "View Found Pets" button on that page where owners can see information about stray pets that have been picked up by animal control officers or community members.

For those who find stray pets wandering in their neighborhood, visit kingcounty.gov/FoundAPet to complete a found pet report and read tips on how to reunite a stray pet with their owner.

RASKC is in south King county, so the chance that your missing pet is there are fairly slim.

Both Shoreline and Lake Forest Park contract with PAWS in Lynnwood. They take in strays from Edmonds, Kenmore, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, and Woodinville, as well.

They have a web page with photos of strays in custody, a place to file a missing animal report and other resources.

Read more...