Castle Rock’s popular Meztler Ranch Park is the set location to watch fireworks light up the sky, locally. This year, residents can celebrate Independence Day at the the Town’s ‘Rockin’ the Fourth: Red White and Boom!’ fireworks show.
Watchers should get the best view of the show, if they can find a spot to camp inside the park. However, for safety reasons, parking will be a little tricky this year, so plan for extra time. Cars will not be allowed to park inside the park, or along Trail Boss Drive, but lots at schools and nearby retail will be open.
CRCO caught up with Castle Rock Fire Chief, Art Morales, to ask him a few questions about how the holiday keeps his department busy and this year’s efforts to keep the fireworks show ‘safe’ for residents.
1. On average, what are the number of calls for firework related incidents the department responds to?
“This depends. Both the Fire Department and the Police Department get inundated with calls complaining about fireworks on July 3rd and 4th. The complaint calls are mostly handled by our local Police Department. So far as fires, if conditions are dry, we’ll generally have 3-5 small brush fires – with the cause suspected to be fireworks.”
2. Are most of the calls those days concerning reports of fire caused by fireworks or injuries or noise from the fireworks?
“Most of the calls are about noise from fireworks, or neighbors making noise. Reported injuries are relatively rare from legal fireworks. Incidentally, most fireworks related injuries are from sparklers that cause burns and puncture wounds when people walk into the extinguished wire.”
3. The Town’s fireworks at Metzler Ranch Park will be low-flying this year. Obviously, that’s so the fireworks have less area for the explosions to cover. What is size of the space you are trying to keep the fireworks contained to?
“We are trying to keep a 150 ft. radius around the launch point clear of drop-down sparks from the fireworks show. Generally speaking, the height of the firework usually is pretty equal to the width of the fallout zone needed for a safe margin.”
Metzler Ranch Park
4175 Trail Boss Drive
Castle Rock, CO 80104
*Launch time: 9:45 – 10:30 pm*
Announcement from the Town website: “Metzler Park will be closed to the public at 4 p.m. July 4, so the fireworks show can be set up. The skate park will be closed all day July 4 and the morning of July 5. Black Feather Trail will be closed between Front Street and Woodlands Boulevard from about 9 to 10:45 p.m. July 4.”
For more info: www.crgov.com
