[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by verified resident. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of South King Media, nor its staff.]
Dear Neighbors,
I write this letter on July 5th after spending the night watching sparks from fireworks hit the tops of my trees and hoping nothing was dry enough to catch. The AQI this morning is 133 – “unhealthy for sensitive groups” – due to the lingering pollution from many, many illegal fireworks last night. My cats are exhausted, having spent the night shaking in terror and refusing to eat.
Our other neighbors are tired too. Some have stressed-out pets, like mine. Some served in the military and have PTSD that was triggered by your celebrations. Others were up caring for distressed partners or children. Some tried to catch loose dogs running terrified into traffic. Some just couldn’t sleep because of the sounds of explosions.
The Burien Police drove by several times and this did nothing to dissuade you from setting off fireworks, which are illegal in Burien. I don’t think more police or stricter punishments for breaking these laws will change your behavior, so this morning in my desperation for a solution I pose the question openly and without judgement: what would persuade you to give up fireworks? What can we do, how can we come together for the next 364 days to make next year a different kind of 4th of July? What middle ground can we find?
If you, my neighbor, came to my house and said my music was too loud or my car was blocking your mailbox, I would immediately take steps to remedy that. I want to be a considerate member of our community. Even if something I’m doing is legal, if it causes you distress or annoyance, I want to stop doing it. That, I believe, is an important part of being in community with one another; occasionally curtailing my own individual convenience or pleasure for the sake of good relationships and goodwill toward one another. What would it take for you to feel the same?
The 4th of July should be a holiday for everyone, not a stressful nightmare for some. Is there anything we could do to make July 4th, 2025 a day (and night) that all of us can truly enjoy?
–Kelsey Vanhee
Boulevard Park
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The tradition of setting off fireworks for the Fourth of July started on the very first Independence Day in 1777 and has carried on as a steadfast tradition for all American people to celebrate our Independence as a country. ( Your pets and general opinion won’t ever take that tradition away. I know many vets (including myself) would argue highly against what your saying. You speak your personal opinion and I’m speaking mine, I’m not a fan of some of the other “celebrations” in this country for things I don’t support but I deal with it anyways.
Its a 1 day event, and its the only day for America, we need this tradition to bring everyone back to the beginnings of America and why this country began. This is a celebration for that. What isn’t or should never be allowed is protests/loitering where you can riot and cause destructive chaos & fires & damge to our citys and towns… or being able to take over an area of city and proclaim it to be your own… that’s more of a pressing issue I believe
If it were a one-day event of setting off fireworks, that might not be so bad. However, fireworks are illegal in Burien and other places. And, this juvenile behavior doesn’t start and end on the 4th. It goes on for days before and days afterward.
You spoke your opinion and I speak mine just as fervently.
What neighborhood do you live in that people set off fireworks for only one night? I want to move there! Maybe when I become your neighbor, I’ll pick a date to randomly set my car alarm off intermittently at all hours (I mean, it’s just one 24-hour period, right?) and make it a tradition. I suppose if you don’t like it, you can go out of town or go camping in the woods somewhere. Who cares if it’s inconvenient for you because I’ll be celebrating the safety of car alarms for everyone, which is more important than your comfort. At least my celebration won’t be the cause of one of 31,000 house fires caused by residential fireworks. (Also, I don’t believe you’re a vet or that you “deal with” other celebrations you don’t agree with.)
It’s is not a one day event, just ask my dog who hides under the bed at the first boom, won’t eat, won’t go outside to relieve herself, and shivers constantly. One day would be fine but it never is one day. If I’m honest, the kids who do this aren’t celebrating the birth of our nation, they are playing with explosives. I know this because I was one of those kids myself, pretty self absorbed and insensitive to others as typical in youth.
It’s is not a one day event, just ask my dog who hides under the bed at the first boom, won’t eat, won’t go outside to relieve herself, and shivers constantly. One day would be fine but it never is one day. If I’m honest, the kids who do this aren’t celebrating the birth of our nation, they are playing with explosives. I know this because I was one of those kids myself, pretty self absorbed and insensitive to others as typical in youth.
I’m sorry, did you forget that the entirety of the Revolutionary War was itself a huge destructive protest? How can you celebrate the colonies’ victory against an authoritarian government while also rejecting citizens’ rights to do the same thing to their own government? I’m curious whether your would have supported the Civil War, which was YET ANOTHER huge destructive protest that caused chaos and fires and razed entire cities to the ground. Don’t come here pretending to be pro-America and pro-Tradition if you think that nobody else gets to have protests because you got what you wanted.
Nothing I will all was shoot fireworks. I have childhood memories of doing it and I have never heard a good reason not to. Other people’s comfort is not more important than my convenience.
David, if you are in Burien, you are a lawbreaker and should be subject to the appropriate punishment. And your convenience is NOT more important than the comfort of others at anytime. Period.
Kelsey, I found your letter to be a very caring, reasonable, solution based approach to this issue. I also used to find great joy in blowing stuff up, and then I got a dog that was a complete basket case for the days leading up and the day of the 4th of July. Totally changed my perspective. The other thing is fire. I have seen fires first hand from fireworks and the damage they can cause is intense. Make sure you have good insurance if you blowing those things off. You may need it. So they are illegal, dangerous, (see that guy in Redmond yesterday) and can cause long term lasting damage. Hope you convinced a few of us to seek other ways to celebrate.
I would hope society has evolved somewhat since 1776.
I would be more than happy to give up fireworks if all the selfish dog owners would keep their dogs quiet outside and would keep them from doing their business in my yard. Fair trade?
yeah the fireworks are better
Hi Terry, it is a deal, however, if my dog does poop in your yard I will promise to use a poop bag to pick it up. I can’t always control when he does his business. And we don’t let him outside by himself so if he barks we ask him to keep it down and be considerate of the neighbors.
I don‘t live in Burien, but I lived in 4 different towns/states all over the US, as well as in Germany. In my experience, the fireworks were the worst in places where they are actually illegal. In those places, the nightly bombardment started around May and went on until August (when the kids are out of school). Where fireworks were legal, people mostly saved them for the 4th, which makes it much more bearable and the collective display is at least something to look at. In Germany, fireworks are only sold the 3 days leading up to New Year‘s and they are only legal to use on Jan 31 and they have to be used up by Jan 1. That limits the nuisance quite a bit and actually keeps the holiday fun and special. Maybe a European model worth considering that isn‘t as outrageous as universal health care ;-).
Dear John T,
Please don’t say ALL Americans enjoy fireworks. I am half Blackfoot Native/white. I do not enjoy or celebrate ANY white man made holiday. As for the “other” celebrations you speak of….I simply ignore them. Good day sir!