Lincoln outlaws sky lanterns including Talladega Superspeedway

The Lincoln City Council during its meeting Tuesday approved a ban on aerial luminaries, or sky lanterns.

Lincoln fire Lt. Joshua Vincent, city safety director said they have a lot of problems with sky lanterns during race weeks at Talladega super speedway.

Vincent said aerial luminaries are essentially miniature hot air balloons, which are essentially free-floating open flames.

Vincent said sky lanterns are a fire hazard because once lit and aloft, there is no control over where they go or land.

The council suspended the rules and adopted the ordinance, which makes it unlawful to “buy, sell, barter, exchange, trade, offer for sale, distribute, give away, possess, ignite, discharge, light, fly, release into the atmosphere, otherwise use or bring into the city or its police jurisdiction ‘aerial luminaries,’ which are defined in the ordinance as “a lantern, commonly of paper with a bamboo or other frame, using an attached heat source to become and remain airborne by the use of heated air.”

The council also authorized Lincoln Mayor Bud Kitchin to publicize the ordinance which will allow the city to begin enforcement immediately.

Kitchin said it would apply in the police jurisdiction, which includes the Talladega Superspeedway and the campgrounds along Speedway Boulevard.