Montana Vista residents worried about noise, littering on the 4th of July
Residents in the Montana Vista area are bracing for what’s expected to be a wild Fourth of July.
For the first time in five years, people will be able to light fireworks in unincorporated areas of the county.
Monday, commissioners court voted to install unmanned barricades where Flager, Krag, Vista del Este and Buntline meet Marvin Lane in Montana Vista.
Residents and emergency crews will be able to drive around the barricades, which are meant to keep visitors away from residential neighborhoods. Some are skeptical the barricades will indeed keep visitors away from residential areas.
ABC-7 spoke with several Montana Vista residents Tuesday. A man who has lived in the Far East El Paso County community for years said “it was horrible” the last time the county allowed the sale of fireworks.
“The traffic was jam-packed and the aftermath was even worse,” said Sal Holguin, “The trash left behind, the littering, nobody cared about anything, they left their mess behind and we had to go clean it up.”
Amelia Maldonado is worried about the dry brush across the street from her home. “I am concerned about fires,” Maldonado said.
Sergio Valadez is happy El Pasoans will once again be able to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, but he is not looking forward to the thousands of visitors expected to flock to his neighborhood. “It gets pretty hectic, it gets crowded everywhere, like people setting up camp anywhere and just lighting fireworks, traffic is ridiculous,” Valadez said.
Holguin pointed out they are still dealing with trash that has been leftover from previous fireworks celebrations in 2011. “Unfortunately, some people just don’t care because they don’t live here and they leave their trash,” he said.
Even the most patriotic county residents are concerned about how the sounds of fireworks will affect their dogs and horses. Holguin said the sounds tend to spook his horses and they aren’t the same for days.
“I have to go find my (dogs) the next day because they run away, they’re scared,” Holguin said.
If you do not plan on lighting fireworks in unincorporated areas of the county, here is a list of 4th of July events this weekend.
