With Blue Fire nearly contained, Shaver Lake says its July 4th firework show still on

Whether Shaver Lake would be able to host its Forth of July fireworks celebration has been in question since May, when organizers struggled to get the needed permits in time to make the annual event happen. That issue got figured out.

Then, the Blue Fire happened and again the event seemed to be in jeopardy.

“With the ignition of the Blue Fire the question has been raised if this show is still happening, and should it,” Greater Shaver Lake Visitors Bureau board president Kyle Lee wrote in a post on Facebook on Thursday.

“As residents of the Greater Shaver Lake area, trust us, we asked ourselves the same question.”

According to the post, the event — the 20th annual such fireworks celebration — will happen, July 3 at dark.

“Thanks to the tireless and tremendous effort by firefighters and first responders, the Blue Fire is under control and at this time poses no threat to our event or our homes,” Lee wrote. Crews made massive gains on the fire Thursday, holding the blaze at 400 acres and increasing containment to 75%.

The fireworks for the show are put on by licensed professionals and explode over the lake in “a safe and secure manner,” organizers say, and the threat of fire “directly adjacent to the fireworks ceremony is very, very slim,” though they will be observant of possible high winds and lightning storms.

The biggest fire threat comes from the non-professional fireworks displays, which the visitors bureau says are not allowed in the mountain areas.

This year’s celebration is significant, Lee wrote.

“Not only is this a celebration of America, it is also a celebration of the resiliency of our mountains, residents, businesses and visitors alike. We have battled through the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as the destructive nature of the Creek Fire and still we stand, proud and tall to welcome any and all who wish to join us in this celebration,” he wrote.

“Be safe, be smart, be kind to each other, clean up after yourself.”

In June, the Fresno Fire Department urged residents toward one of several public fireworks displays happening in the area. A similar lake-side event is happening at Bass Lake, July 3. Pines Resort manager Mark Choe expects it to be the busiest day or the year.