Photo illustration by Rachel Rainbow

For Roxy Ceballos, itās tradition to stay in Tucson with her family, watch fireworks and barbeque on the Fourth of July.

This year, however, with the county ban on fireworks displays due to the extreme fire hazard, Ceballos, an undecided freshman, will have to break tradition.

The ban on fireworks is not the only reason why this Independence Day is different from previous years for those in the UA community.

For Jason Balakier, a veterinary science junior, this yearās celebration is not different so much because there wonāt be any fireworks, as it is different because it is the first Independence Day since the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Although Balakier said that heād rather be able to move past Sept. 11, he canāt forget it, and he said that this year the holiday has a greater significance because of what happened last fall.

ćFireworks do not make the Fourth of July,ä Balakier said. ćThe Fourth is a day to celebrate the independence of our country. Thatās what itās about. Itās not about fireworks; itās about patriotism, although fireworks may be a little more fun.ä

Other students were particularly disappointed about the fireworks ban.

Lynn Rozanski, is working on campus this summer in the Chemistry department. She said that she was thinking about going to California for the Fourth of July and the fireworks ban solidified her decision.

Justin Haynes, an undecided freshman, said that the fact that thereās no fireworks this year ćadds to the depressionä in a state that has already been ravaged by fires.

Haynes also said that he thinks the fireworks ban is a bad idea because people might be more inclined to try to use fireworks themselves.