By Olivier Uyttebrouck
Albuquerque Journal
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Gov. Susana Martinez issued an executive order Wednesday directing State Police to help local law agencies enforce fireworks bans and restrictions across the state.
Meanwhile, voluntary efforts to limit the availability of fireworks seemed to gather momentum Wednesday when Smith’s Stores announced it would suspend fireworks sales and a Facebook campaign for a fireworks boycott gained followers this week.
Saturation news coverage about wildfires in New Mexico appears to have to put a damper on fireworks sales in some locations.
“It’s bad for the people who do this kind of work for a living,” said Efran Camarena, a manager for Southern Lights Fireworks, one of four large fireworks stores in Moriarty, where few were shopping Wednesday. Business has been slow this week, Camarena said.
Pojoaque Pueblo voluntarily ended fireworks sales to New Mexico residents this week at its Factory Fireworks tent and store off U.S. 84/285.
The governor’s executive order also urged New Mexicans to shun personal use of fireworks this year and instead attend controlled fireworks displays.
Martinez acknowledged Wednesday that her office has no authority to order an outright ban on the sale and use of fireworks, even under the state’s emergency powers law.
Earlier this week, Martinez announced she will seek legislation at a special session in September that would give state and local officials the authority to ban all fireworks in cases of extreme drought.
“While state law does not allow the governor to ban fireworks by executive order, she is urging all New Mexicans to refrain from buying, selling or using fireworks during the dry summer fire season,” a governor’s spokesman said in a written statement.
Smith’s Stores in New Mexico will pull fireworks from their shelves effective immediately due to the fire danger and drought conditions, the grocery chain announced Wednesday. The chain owns 26 stores throughout New Mexico.
“I applaud Smith’s Food and Drug Stores for being responsible and voluntarily removing fireworks from their shelves and putting the safety of New Mexicans first,” Martinez said.
Mountain View Telegraph staff writer Lee Ross contributed to this report.
Copyright 2011 Albuquerque Journal