The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to wish all of you a very happy Fourth of July!

As we plan for the holiday, please keep in mind that Elmore County is currently in a state of extreme drought, and as a result, we are experiencing high fire danger. There is an excess of dry grass and other flammable material throughout the County and it is very easy to unintentionally start a brush fire that could lead to devastating consequences.

While we encourage everyone to celebrate the birth of our great nation, we also strongly encourage you to do so in a safe, responsible manner. Be cautious about any potential fire danger and be sure to use any fireworks in a location free of any brush or debris that might accidentally catch on fire. In the last week, we have had 6 fires in our County alone and there looks to be even more as temperatures rise and more citizens are enjoying our great outdoors.

As part of responsible fireworks use, please discard any used fireworks in a bucket of water overnight before disposing of them in the garbage, as residual heat can easily ignite in enclosed areas.

As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Have a safe and happy holiday!

Sheriff Mike Hollinshead