CITY OF ELMA
DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, on May 27, 2021, the Department of Ecology issued a drought advisory for most of the state, including Grays Harbor; and WHEREAS, record extreme temperatures were set throughout Washington and in Elma over the June 26-28, 2021 weekend; and WHEREAS, the National Weather Service in Seattle show a continued period of hot and dry weather leading through July 4, 2021; and WHEREAS, following the 2015 dry season, the Elma City Council passed Ordinance 1153 allows the Police Chief to declare an Emergency Ban on the discharge of fireworks within city limits; and WHEREAS, consultation was made with both the City of Elma and Grays Harbor Fire District 5 to affirm the present risk; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY ORDERED BY the Police Chief of the City of Elma, Grays Harbor County, Washington, as follows:
1. There is hereby declared an emergency, effective immediately, due to the unusually hot weather in the region and resulting drier-than-normal conditions.
2. Pursuant to the emergency declared, emergency powers set forth in EMC 8.24.032 allow for the order that the conditions are too dangerous to allow the use of fireworks within the City of Elma.
3. Violations of the emergency prohibitions shall be punished as a misdemeanor.
4. The declaration of an emergency set forth shall terminate on July 5, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.