PARIS — A forum on Tuesday will bring local fire chiefs and an officer from the Fire Marshal’s Office together to hear and respond to complaints about fireworks.
West Paris fire Chief Norm St. Pierre will moderate the meeting, which will be held at the Paris Fire Station at 6:30 p.m.
On Jan. 1, fireworks became legal in Maine for the first time in 63 years. That has brought new business but also complaints from residents who say the noise has caused their pets and farm animals to panic, and from people concerned about fire.
St. Pierre said he’s received several complaints of noise in town. Some residents don’t understand that fireworks are legal now, while some people using them don’t realize there are limits. Fireworks can’t be bought, handled or used by anyone under 21, and with the exception of a few holidays, fireworks can’t be set off after 10 p.m.
“We’re going to air out that stuff” at Tuesday’s meeting, St. Pierre said last week.
He said he wouldn’t mind a few extra restrictions, especially one preventing the fireworks’ use on days with a high chance of forest fires. For example, he said fireworks shouldn’t be used when the fire danger set by the Maine Forest Service is higher than Class 3.
St. Pierre said he doesn’t have a problem with fireworks in general. Recently, he’s been helping out at Aah Fireworks, the fireworks store and distribution center in West Paris.
Several local meetings of selectmen have been sounding boards for fireworks complaints, especially after July 4. Fire chiefs expect to hear those complaints again Tuesday.
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