GREAT FALLS — In the November municipal election, city residents will decide whether to limit the types of fireworks that can be sold and used within city limits.
The ballot question asks if the city should allow only ground-based or novelty items such as sparklers, fountains, and snap caps, while banning fireworks that leave the ground or explode, including rockets, shells, and Roman candles.
If voters approve the measure, the changes would apply only to stands operating within city limits. Fireworks stands located in county areas, even if they’re within the city’s boundary lines, would not be affected.
Aneesa Coomer reports - watch the video here:
Great Falls is one of the few larger Montana cities that still allows residents to use fireworks. Cities like Helena, Bozeman, Missoula, and Billings already have bans in place.
The issue has been a topic of public discussion for years, often resurfacing around Independence Day. After a series of public meetings and debates this summer, city commissioners voted in July to put the proposed ban on the November 2025 ballot.
The decision followed weeks of public comment, with residents and business owners weighing in on both sides of the issue. Some argued the city needs to take action to reduce fire risk and protect public safety, while others said a ban would be ineffective and hurt small businesses that rely on holiday sales.
Business owner Jeff Thill, who operates Fireworks Alley, believes the proposed restrictions would do little to stop people from setting off fireworks within city limits.
Thill explains, “Towns like Helena and Bozeman, they have laws against fireworks, and those are two of the biggest sales places in the state. We sell fireworks all over the state and those towns like that, they still find fireworks. They buy tons of fireworks, just as many as they do here.”
Thill also questions whether the proposed ordinance targets the right kinds of fireworks, saying, “The kind of fireworks they want to keep legal are the ones that stay on the ground, those are the ones that actually light grass fires. The ones they’re making illegal are the ones that go up in the air, explode, and then dissipate before they hit the ground.”
He and other opponents of the measure also point to the challenges of enforcing the restrictions, noting that local law enforcement agencies are already stretched thin. Thill says those resources are better spent educating the public on firework safety, saying “What we really need to do is we need to educate people. We need to tell people, be responsible, light it for only those three days, or you're going to lose your privileges.”
Great Falls residents split on proposed ban:
Supporters of the restrictions say the issue is about safety and community well-being. Many have voiced concerns during city commission meetings about fires, noise, and the impact on vulnerable populations.
In June, an elderly Great Falls woman died in a house fire that officials believe was caused by fireworks. That incident reignited calls for tighter regulations.
Others have raised concerns about the effect fireworks have on pets, veterans, and people living with PTSD. They argue that the noise and unpredictability of fireworks can create unnecessary distress and that limiting the types of fireworks allowed would help reduce those disruptions.
City officials say the ballot language may seem confusing, but it follows state election law, which only allows a “yes” or “no” vote.
Meredith Dawson, City Communications Specialist explains, “A ‘yes’ vote would mean that you agree with limiting the type of fireworks that can be sold or discharged in the city. A ‘no’ vote means you would want to keep things the way they are, not limiting the type of fireworks.”
The city’s municipal election will be conducted by mail on November 4, 2025. Ballots were mailed to registered voters on October 20. Residents who are not yet registered can do so in person at the Cascade County Elections Office until noon on November 3, or at Montana Expo Park on Election Day.
