LOCAL

Buckeye Lake fireworks canceled for 2018

Staff Report
Buckeye Lake will not have fireworks this summer for Independence Day.

There will be no fireworks show for Independence Day at Buckeye Lake this summer, but organizers are hopeful the booms will return next year.

Public safety officials met with Buckeye Lake BLASST planning members recently to review the annual fireworks event at the lake.

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"The committee and public safety agencies agreed that the event should be canceled this year as the ongoing construction creates safety challenges and concerns for those attending the event as well as first responders," according to a press release issued Wednesday morning.

This will be the third consecutive year the fireworks show has been canceled, largely because of ongoing construction in the area.

Construction of the Buckeye Lake dam is expected to end late this year, so the community will focus on resuming the fireworks event in July 2019.

Public safety agencies involved in the decision include the Licking County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), Licking County Sherriff’s Office, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfield County EMA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of Parks & Watercraft and Division of Wildlife, Village of Buckeye Lake, Buckeye Lake Fire Department, Buckeye Lake Water, and Millersport Fire Department.