Fireworks spark feds' attention

Pine Haven Volunteer Fire Department’s fireworks display was a raving success this year, with Keyhole packed to capacity and people lining the highways far beyond park gates to watch the show.

However, it almost did not happen.

The decades-old event was challenged this year by federal agencies including the Bureau of Reclamation as they own the land on which Keyhole State Park resides and Fish and Wildlife because of the northern long-eared bat that lives in the immediate vicinity of the display.

According to Mayor Karla Brandenburg, “It started with the bats and went on from one thing to another.”

The state has supported this annual event and backed Pine Haven’s fire department when they were faced with the possibility of a cease and desist order. The mayor explained the fortitude of volunteer fire chief TJ Gideon.

“TJ told them that if they were going to stop us in anyway or for any reason, they would have to make a public announcement about it because…they told us we could order the fireworks so we did and then they tried to stop us again and it’s just been a hassle.”

The fireworks cost the department approximately $10,000 a year and donations gathered from the event pay for the next show. This year, though, things have changed, said Brandeburg: “It cost $14,000 to do that, which is a big expense for a community our size…It’s going to cost us more from now on because we have to buy liability insurance and have someone here from the ATF.”

Gideon spoke with Keyhole State Park Superintendent Greg Devereaux as well as others in Cheyenne, and said, “I’ve been assured that next year, we’ll have a much smoother process [and] Greg has been excellent to work with and he is 100% for our show and keeping our show here.”

Devereaux agreed, “Everyone in the park system was 100% behind the event happening and know how important it is to the community. I was actually pretty impressed with the way everyone in the parks, above me, the park’s leadership really got onboard with that and made sure it could go ahead.”

The concern expressed by Fish and Wildlife for the welfare of the bats was addressed and the Bureau of Reclamation began to understood how important the event is to the community; with these issues and the town acceding to purchasing insurance and the ATF agent’s time, Pine Haven Volunteer Fire Department received approval for the event to continue.

The new costs will continue through the oncoming years, forcing hard choices, because, “We don’t want our fireworks to be stopped.”

Brandenburg reaches to everyone, “If we want to continue this, we need everybody’s help. We can’t afford to do this every year from now on. Anybody who has an extra $20 laying around – I know you all probably put in the boot – but if there’s any extra money you can grab, the fire department can certainly use it to help pay for some of that.”

The mayor and council commended Gideon on ensuring the Fireworks Over the Lake showed only the light on the water. “These guys went way above and beyond and worked fast and furious to be able to put those off.”