Officials are also urging families to consider attending professional, permitted fireworks shows rather than lighting their own fireworks this holiday season.
BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — As the holiday season approaches and Texans gear up to light up the sky, Bexar County officials are reminding everyone that not all fireworks are invited to the New Year’s Eve party this year.
The Bexar County Commissioners Court has approved an order restricting the sale and use of certain fireworks ahead of New Year’s Eve due to ongoing extreme drought conditions.
The order, allowed under Texas state law, bans the use and sale of “skyrockets with sticks” and “missiles with fins” in unincorporated areas of Bexar County. All other consumer fireworks that are legally sold in Texas may still be used.
Because state law requires counties to adopt such restrictions before Dec. 15, commissioners included the item in a special work session to ensure the deadline was met.
The Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office, using data from the Texas A&M Forest Service and the National Weather Service, confirmed that drought conditions remain severe across the county.
Officials are urging families to consider attending professional, permitted fireworks shows rather than lighting their own. Those who do purchase fireworks are asked to buy only from licensed retailers, keep children at a safe distance and designate a responsible adult—referred to as a “Designated Douser”—to extinguish and dispose of spent fireworks safely.
The county’s Firework Safety Hotline will be active from Saturday, Dec. 20, through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. Residents can report illegal or unsafe fireworks activity by calling (210) 335-FIRE.
Violations of the order are classified as a Class C misdemeanor and carry fines of up to $500.
More information on fireworks safety and the Designate a Douser program is available on the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office website.