Two months ahead of the 4th, Sacramento County already cracking down on illegal fireworks
With Sacramento County now officially in a drought and conditions primed for a dangerous 2021 fire season, local fire departments are looking to crack down on illegal firework use, starting public awareness weeks in advance of July 4.
“Safe and sane” fireworks can’t legally be bought or sold in the county until June 27, one week before Independence Day, and a Sacramento County ordinance says they can only be used between noon on June 28 and 10 p.m. on July 5.
But year after year, the holiday and days surrounding it make up one of the busiest stretches for the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, Sacramento Fire Department and Cosumnes Community Services District Fire Department. The county’s three largest fire agencies battle dozens of incidents, some of them started by illegal fireworks or legal fireworks used improperly.
“Every Fourth of July and New Year’s recently, we’ve seen incredible displays coming from basically all over the region,” said Metro Fire spokesman Capt. Chris Vestal. “And any firework that goes into the air is illegal, unless it’s part of a professionally produced show.”
Metro Fire investigators, aided by Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies, arrested a suspect last week in Sacramento County on felony counts of transporting an explosive device and selling fireworks without a permit. Metro Fire said that arrest alone took over 100 pounds of illegal fireworks off the streets.
Authorities spoke to media Thursday at Station 110 in Arden Arcade about what makes illegal fireworks dangerous, and how they hope to take strong enforcement actions this firework season.
“This year we’re having much drier conditions, and obviously the fire danger is heightened compared to any year in recent memory,” Vestal said.
Paul Tualla, a Metro Fire arson investigator, said the suspect arrested last week, Angel Gonzalez, had “improperly stored” the fireworks in the trunk of a vehicle.
“Sometimes these cases come in on our tip line. Sometimes we do a little bit of research and find out if folks are selling them online, and then we work our leads from there,” Tualla explained.
Investigators also seized commercial-grade aerial fireworks — the kind used in the community displays mentioned by Vestal — which Tualla said are especially dangerous when used illegally.
“All of these have potential danger,” Tualla, standing next to a large silver box of illegal fireworks labeled “Excalibur Platinum” emblazoned with a holographic sword.
Vestal noted that while some fireworks may be legal in other states, they are prohibited in California. All legal fireworks have the California Fire Marshal’s seal on the packaging, Vestal said.
Under California law, possessing up to 25 pounds of illegal fireworks is a misdemeanor carrying a fine between $500 and $1,000. Possessing more than 25 pounds can net larger fines and up to one year in jail.
“We don’t want to dampen people’s fun,” said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Rodney Grassmann. “We want them to go out and enjoy this holiday — particularly this holiday, because people have been really cooped up” due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Enjoy this with their children and their family. But we want them to do it safely. The reason these are illegal is because they are dangerous.”
Because aerial fireworks are unregulated, Grassmann said, they may also be counterfeit or mislabeled, leaving operators without a proper understanding of the risk, causing a danger to trees, spectators and those who handle them.
Grassmann said that around July 4, the Sheriff’s Office begins pairing deputies with Metro Fire personnel to conduct “self-initiated calls” — simply driving around neighborhoods and looking up into the air, rather than waiting for 911 calls.
Often, he said, “it is one of the neighbors within a neighborhood that wants to put on a show for their neighborhood.”
“They have good intentions, and they want to do something more than what they normally do, so they’ll do aerial fireworks. That becomes a problem.”
This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Two months ahead of the 4th, Sacramento County already cracking down on illegal fireworks."
