By Scott Spjut
The Regal Seagull

With the Fourth of July and Pioneer Day celebrations squarely behind them, Utahns are finding it difficult to replenish their year’s supply of fireworks.

“We ended up using more fireworks than we thought we would this past July 24th,” said Brandy Hamilton of Beaver, Utah. “So now we don’t have enough to last us until next July.”

Utah state law limits the selling of fireworks to only the weeks surrounding the one real national holiday and the one made-up state holiday in July.

Some residents have recently resorted to smuggling fireworks in from other states – or even other countries – in order to have a year’s worth. This is because, for many Utahns, fireworks are as essential to a complete supply of food storage as wheat, peanut butter and old magazines.

“We want to be prepared for anything,” Hamilton said. “With the economy the way it is, who knows if fireworks will even be for sale next July. And then what? How would we celebrate our heritage then?”