County Judge Veronica Escobar plans to ban all fireworks

County Judge Veronica Escobar plans to ask Commissioners Court Monday to approve a one-week disaster declaration in order to ban the sale of fireworks.

This will be the 5th year in a row El Pasoans can’t light up fireworks on the Fourth of July. County Judge Escobar points out El Paso is only one of two counties in Texas that surpassed the drought index requirement.

However, there is a catch this year. Texas has a new governor, and while Rick Perry would always extend the commissioners court ban, it’s unclear how current governor Greg Abbott will react. County Judge Escobar says if Abbott does not extend the ban, she will ask for another one and hopes to get the word out to El Pasoans about the fire danger involved with fireworks.