Warning - this story contains sounds of fireworks.
Across from where I’m parked on E street, a flapping banner advertises ‘fireworks!’ in bold block letters. The stand is actually a small building nestled between two shipping containers. It has a bright red awning jutting out and covering an open window.
John Larsen Jr. works at the stand, You Pop ‘Em Fireworks, which is owned by Kris Straub. Larsen shows me a display of colorful boxes and little rockets lining the back shelf.
“There's several. Yeah. I gave up after counting over 40.” Larsen says.
On the shelf, to the left, are the aerial fireworks. Those are the ones that launch several feet in the air and explode outward like a star. Below are firecrackers. The middle of the display holds fountains that shoot showers of bright sparks. More pyrotechnic options line the shelves to the right.
The inside of the pop-up shop feels like an old-fashioned toy store. Small sparklers and other items are organized in bins on a nearby table. Customers peruse their options.
“We've had a good-sized amount of customers. And our stock is still high. So we got about half rid of it,” Larsen says.
Larsen says the stand is open every year around July 4th. This year, they held a raffle. Everyone who bought fireworks could put their name in to win some extra merchandise.
Fireworks carry the risk of - well - starting fires. But on that topic, Larsen sees a benefit to this year’s weather.
“We considered it a gift,” he says. “We're grateful, because business has increased because of this weather.”
In Alaska, last month was the ninth wettest June in the past 72 years; that's according to the National Weather Service. The ground is saturated with water, meaning less dry vegetation to accidentally catch a spark.
“Even though it's pretty gloomy and doom-y, like my boss said, I said well that's what we want - gloom and doom - because then it keeps the whole country safe,” he says. “We don’t have to worry about fire.”
Fireworks come with risk of serious injury, too. Fire officials advise keeping fireworks and sparklers away from young children and supervising older children carefully. Light fireworks one at a time, outdoors in a large, flat area and keep a bucket of water handy just in case. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission includes a more complete list of safety instructions.
The Dillingham Fire Department said July 4th was quiet on their end - also citing the wet weather as a fire deterrent.
Intern Nick Johnson contributed to this story.
Get in touch with the author at christina@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200.
