Mount Rushmore National Memorial News Release
Fireworks Eliminated from Independence Day Celebration for 2012
(Keystone, SD) – Superintendent Cheryl Schreier announced today that
planning is underway for the 2012 Independence Day Celebration at Mount
Rushmore National Memorial. The successful outcomes from the 2010 and 2011
celebrations, along with continued resource concerns, have prompted
National Park Service (NPS) officials to base the 2012 celebration on the
same model, and will not include a fireworks component.
Mt Rushmore
Over 21,000 people visited the Memorial on July 3 in 2011, exceeding the
2009 and 2010 numbers. The event model of the past two years has allowed
all visitors an opportunity to enjoy the Memorial on July 3, and event
planners were pleased that no visitors had to be turned away, as was common
in previous years.
The unacceptable risk of wildfire prompted the suspension of the fireworks
for the 2010 and 2011 celebrations. Efforts are on-going throughout the
Black Hills to combat the Mountain Pine Beetle and reduce fire danger,
however, the condition of the forest in the surrounding area continues to
deteriorate and will remain a concern for the foreseeable future.
“Mount Rushmore has successfully proven they can provide an outstanding
July 3 celebration, in collaboration with Black Hills communities that can
safely offer fireworks shows,” said NPS Regional Director Michael Reynolds.
“The park service is committed to being responsible stewards of the land,
as well as responsible neighbors, and to do that we need to take every
conceivable precaution to mitigate the fire danger. Providing a
celebration without fireworks for the 2012 Independence Day Celebration is
the prudent course of action,” added Reynolds.
It is expected that the 2012 celebration will again offer a schedule of
events that highlight patriotism, cultural celebrations of American
heritage, and features the true meaning of Independence Day, while at the
same time protecting the park’s resources and encouraging visitor safety.
Once again, park officials will collaborate with surrounding communities
and organizations to plan and promote events available throughout the Black
Hills over the July 4 holiday.
Additional information about the 2012 celebration will be available in the
coming months.
- NPS -
http://www.nps.gov/moru
Such an amazing place! Those pesky Pine Beetles know how to spoil a party!!
I’m not sure how I fell about this….
I’m coming down from Washington state and figured instead of watching a little show in Fargo, that maybe we could hit this fireworks show. This is a major bummer.
We are coming over from Oregon, planned to stay in Mt. Rushmore July 3-4. Was looking forward to the firework show…now WHAT?!?
There are plenty of fire works shows held in the surrounding communities as well as all kinds of activities at at Mount Rushmore and around the Black Hills.
Do you know of any places specific? We were planning on going to Rushmore in just 3 days but now we will change our plans. Where do you suggest we go for a good fireworks display in the Black Hills area? Thanks!
Raelene, There is a fireworks show and celebration during the day in nearby Custer, SD.
visit http://www.custersd.com for more info.
We viewed the 4th fireworks in 2004–the whole day was fabulous. Fires from lightning are a regular occurance, you guys know how to work that. If you can tell in November that July conditions will still not be favourable to have the program then when DO you think you can resume the fireworks? Does the park feel that spreading it out on 2 days without the expense of fireworks is a good enough celebration?
Glad you got to enjoy the fireworks back in the days when things were much wetter around here. As the Park Service was putting out fires started by the fireworks during the years they held them at Mount Rushmore…I’m pretty sure they understand the risk and are not stopping the show because they don’t like us. The people who live in the nearby town of Keystone don’t want their homes burned up like the hundreds of homes lost last week in Colorado…not to mention the risk to Mount Rushmore and the thousands of people crammed into that area. Yes, we would enjoy the fireworks, but we’d all feel rather rotten of someone lost a home or a life, or the tax payers had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting a fire because of a fireworks show. It’s dry here, really dry…so dry that parks are not allowing people to smoke outside there vehicle dry….
There is another thunderstorm passing through right now that will no doubt light more fires. I just hope there is no more loss of life. The 4 guys who died last week fighting fire were enough for this season.