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Independence, MO —
Their likeness can include smiley faces, hearts and even the American flag.
They are let go into the sky during happy occasions, such as the New Year’s Eve, birthday parties, anniversaries, and most recently, the Fourth of July.
But the Independence Fire Department isn’t fooled by the friendly images that sky lanterns convey.
“They look harmless, but they are far from it,” Fire Inspector Bob Frazier told the City Council Monday night.
The Fire Department is asking council members to consider joining other areas in banning the use of sky lanterns, an action that isn’t included in the city’s present fireworks ordinance. Also, multiple agencies are pursuing a statewide ban of sky lanterns in Missouri, and the Independence Fire Department plans to support those agencies in their efforts.
“Multiple Independence residents have reported cases of sky lanterns landing on their property in this year alone,” Frazier said.
Sky lanterns, also known as Chinese lanterns, wish lanterns, floating lanterns and other names, come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The lanterns are made from rice paper, a wire or bamboo frame and an ignitable, flammable fuel cell.
Once a sky lantern is ignited, it can remain in the air up to 30 minutes, can fly as high as a mile up in the air and can travel up to 10 miles. Those lighting the sky lanterns cannot determine or control where the sky lantern will land.
The results of sky lanterns coming down before the flames are extinguished or the fuel cell has cooled include grass and tree fires, crop field fires, pasture fires and structure fires. With animals, sky lantern debris is attributed to causing deaths in owl, deer and other wildlife, as well as damage to livestock after they consumed parts of the lanterns.
“Several citizens called and approached fire personnel after the (Fourth of July) holiday with stories of having extinguished small fires in their yards and even on their or a neighbor’s roof after a sky lantern landed while still ignited,” Fire Chief Sandra Schiess said in a news release.
Entire countries have banned the use of sky lanterns, including Austria, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Spain and Germany. Closer to home, the Missouri cities of Rolla and Monarch, as well as Wichita and McPherson in Kansas, have banned the use of sky lanterns.
“This would be a good item to bring up at one of our mayors’ meetings,” Mayor Don Reimal said, “and see if we can get the rest of the others to do the same thing.”
Their likeness can include smiley faces, hearts and even the American flag.
They are let go into the sky during happy occasions, such as the New Year’s Eve, birthday parties, anniversaries, and most recently, the Fourth of July.
But the Independence Fire Department isn’t fooled by the friendly images that sky lanterns convey.
“They look harmless, but they are far from it,” Fire Inspector Bob Frazier told the City Council Monday night.
The Fire Department is asking council members to consider joining other areas in banning the use of sky lanterns, an action that isn’t included in the city’s present fireworks ordinance. Also, multiple agencies are pursuing a statewide ban of sky lanterns in Missouri, and the Independence Fire Department plans to support those agencies in their efforts.
“Multiple Independence residents have reported cases of sky lanterns landing on their property in this year alone,” Frazier said.
Sky lanterns, also known as Chinese lanterns, wish lanterns, floating lanterns and other names, come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The lanterns are made from rice paper, a wire or bamboo frame and an ignitable, flammable fuel cell.
Once a sky lantern is ignited, it can remain in the air up to 30 minutes, can fly as high as a mile up in the air and can travel up to 10 miles. Those lighting the sky lanterns cannot determine or control where the sky lantern will land.
The results of sky lanterns coming down before the flames are extinguished or the fuel cell has cooled include grass and tree fires, crop field fires, pasture fires and structure fires. With animals, sky lantern debris is attributed to causing deaths in owl, deer and other wildlife, as well as damage to livestock after they consumed parts of the lanterns.
“Several citizens called and approached fire personnel after the (Fourth of July) holiday with stories of having extinguished small fires in their yards and even on their or a neighbor’s roof after a sky lantern landed while still ignited,” Fire Chief Sandra Schiess said in a news release.
Entire countries have banned the use of sky lanterns, including Austria, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Spain and Germany. Closer to home, the Missouri cities of Rolla and Monarch, as well as Wichita and McPherson in Kansas, have banned the use of sky lanterns.
“This would be a good item to bring up at one of our mayors’ meetings,” Mayor Don Reimal said, “and see if we can get the rest of the others to do the same thing.”
