Fireworks to close memorial

The new National World War II Memorial will spend the Fourth of July under wraps, closed to the public because officials fear the Washington Mall’s annual fireworks display could rain hot embers on the site, injuring visitors and scarring its stone surfaces.

The memorial will close sometime early July 4, National Park Service spokesman Bill Line said. Workers will drain the pools and fountains and cover the area with fire-resistant tarpaulins. It might remain closed for much of July 5, he said.

For years, fireworks have been launched from both sides of the Reflecting Pool near the site of what is now the World War II Memorial. Architects and designers were aware of the hazard when planning the memorial and recommended the closure and tarpaulin coverage, Line said.