Pilot Butte prepares for Sure Shot firework show

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Pilot Butte is being prepared for Bend's annual Fourth of July fireworks show. It will feature more than 1,000 shells and a massive 12-inch finale shell creating a 1,200-foot diameter explosion. The display is scheduled for Saturday at 10 p.m. and is expected to last about 20 minutes.

Extensive safety measures have been implemented by local parks and fire agencies to prevent fires around the butte during the event. These preparations include months of coordination between various agencies to ensure a safe event for the community.

Sam Wilson, Fire Inspector with Bend Fire & Rescue, emphasized the extensive planning involved. “We've spent months of preparation and coordination with all of our surrounding agencies to ensure that the community of Bend has a safe and memorable Fourth of July,” Wilson said.

For the duration of the event, Pilot Butte will be completely closed to the public, with only firefighters, security personnel and Sure-Shot Fireworks staff allowed on site.

Each firework will launched out of the the tubes which form a ring around the top of the butte. Some shells are fired by hand and others electronically triggered. The largest shells are sunken into containers of sand to absorb the shockwave generated during launch.

Subaru of Bend is sponsoring this year's event. Jake Thomas, representing Subaru of Bend, noted the community's appreciation for such displays. “Central Oregon does appreciate, a good fire display,” Thomas said. “So it's just something that we wanted to give back and help continue that that tradition.”

Sure-Shot Fireworks has been producing this show for many years. Chris Mattison, owner of Sure Shot Fireworks, expressed his excitement for the nation's upcoming milestone. “Yeah. We are so excited for for the United States to hit the 250 years, there's been a lot of sacrifices. There's been a lot of military, a lot of generations to build what we have today. And today is a good day to mark that. A quarter of a century that we did it. We're still here and we love it.”

Organizers are continuously seeking additional co-sponsors to help enhance future Fourth of July events.

The Fourth of July fireworks show is set to begin Saturday at 10 p.m. and will last approximately 20 minutes.