The S.C. General Assembly did well this year in giving homeowners who live outside cities and towns a way to protect their property from errant fireworks. Now, as the summer tourism season moves into full sway, Gov. Mark Sanford needs to put the finishing touches on the legislative effort.

By signing the bill into law, Sanford can empower property owners and homeowners associations to bar the use of fireworks on nearby public property. This is especially important along the many unincorporated but developed stretches of beachfront in South Carolina, where the ease of legally obtaining and discharging bottle rockets and other self-propelled fireworks creates a nuisance and fire hazard for owners of homes and condominiums. In such places as Shore Drive off Lake Arrowhead Road, it's commonplace in summertime for folks on vacation to touch off fireworks late into the evening.

S.C. Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach, who ushered the bill through the legislature with the help of S.C. Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach, says that on such evenings, "the prevailing ocean winds tend to blow propelled fireworks away from the ocean and into the densely populated condominium and hotel structures along the beach.

"What a tragedy should we lose property or life from fire as a result of this bill sitting too long on the governor's desk."

Amen to that. Once Sanford signs the bill, it would then be up to Horry County Council and other S.C. county councils to pass enabling ordinances empowering homeowners and their associations to create fireworks-free zones along beaches and in other public areas. Homeowners then collectively could petition county planning commissions to set up the zones. Then, the police could cite revelers who use their fireworks in dangerous and overly annoying fashion.

True, Sanford could leave the bill unsigned until January, when it would become law without his signature. But homeowners need and deserve protection against errant fireworks now, with high summer season here. The governor should sign the bill into law this week.