This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Pioneer Day holiday, like the Independence Day celebration that precedes it every summer, is supposed to be about remembering. Remembering history, sacrifice, accomplishment against overwhelming odds.

The memories attached to both holidays are supposed to be, if not altogether pleasant, then at least devoted to great deeds and constructive endeavors. Or to idyllic family gatherings.

Our memories of these days, individual and collective, should not be about foolishness, accidents, risks that could have been avoided and, in extreme cases, death.

Yet the news of the month is mostly about fires.

The huge Brian Head Fire in southern Utah was reportedly set by someone clumsily employing a torch in an attempt to burn off some pesky weeds. More recently, the much smaller Water Tower Fire was apparently ignited by a single bullet fired at a makeshift gun range in Utah County.

Other blazes have been touched off, accidentally, by lawn mowers and, reportedly not so accidentally, by juvenile delinquents.

And, of course, by wayward fireworks.

The fireworks, of course, draw most of the attention — good and bad — this time of year. They can be more than annoying, frightening people and terrifying household pets, doing significant damage to lawns and brush, skin and homes.

Efforts by several municipalities to ban their use in some of the most vulnerable areas are made on the fly. News won't always reach those who are determined to create some of their own explosions.

Even when it does, the ability of the human mind to rationalize a violation of the law and/or common sense, to suppose the just one little firecracker, one tiny bottle rocket, certainly can't be that big a deal.

Yes, it can.

Every year, more people call for some or all of the fireworks that cause so much trouble to be banned. The basis of the argument opposing such bans — I want to play with my toys — has less pull every year.

Just a casual reading of the news every day shows how otherwise reasonable people are so easily able to snow themselves into believing that their small gun, their tiny firecracker, their overheated motor, could not possibly cause massive damage.

They can. And that is really not what you want to remember in the future when you think back on the holidays of summer. So be careful.