Fresno, Clovis allows watering for all residents on the Fourth

Landscape watering is being allowed Saturday night in Fresno and Clovis in preparation for Fourth of July fireworks, even though half of the two cities’ residents are not supposed to water.

The Clovis Fire Department and the city’s Department of Public Utilities will permit watering between 8 p.m. and midnight Saturday because of concerns about fire in dry grass as residents prepare to set off celebratory fireworks.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Fresno’s Department of Public Utilities announced relaxed watering restrictions during the same four hours on Saturday from 8 p.m. until midnight.

All addresses, regardless of their scheduled watering days, may water their lawns and landscapes before using fireworks so these areas are damp, a Fresno Department of Public Utilities press release said. This means there will be no tickets issued for lawn/landscape watering during this period.

Under current rules, watering is allowed at odd-numbered addresses, so the cities’ action will allow watering for residents at even-numbered addresses who normally are unable to water on Saturdays.

Clovis Fire Chief Mike Despain said his department was getting calls from residents worried about fireworks being set off on or near dry grass or bushes.

Most fire calls, he said, will be the result of illegal fireworks on Saturday night, but he does expect at least few calls from residents who set their grass or a bush ablaze using legal fireworks.

“Our nightmare is illegal fireworks,” he said. “They account for 98% of our problems every year.”

While short, dry grass will not likely fuel a major conflagration, he said, extending watering will offer all residents some peace of mind that they won’t be fined and an opportunity to ensure they can stop a fire from starting.

“The risk is pretty small compared to the benefit for the community,” Despain said.

Luke Serpa, Clovis public utilities director, said it’s unlikely that short, brown lawns are a considerable fire hazard.

“I don’t think lawns are a major fire hazard, but some people are concerned,” he said. “Dry lawns are not a big source of our problems as long as it isn’t tall brush.”

Clovis made the announcement Tuesday morning on Facebook and was greeted with both praise and criticism for allowing watering and criticism for not banning fireworks.

“Thank goodness! I’ve been very concerned about the 4th and all our dry landscaping,” said Kathy Desch in a Facebook posting to the fire department.

Another resident, Ginger Tempesta, wrote: “I don’t understand why the city did not ban fireworks this year? Instead, they will allow residents to use additional water that we are trying to save to make the 36% (state mandated cut for the city) ??? Dumb, dumb, dumb?”

Despain said banning fireworks would require approval by the City Council. Since legal fireworks are not a major problem, he said, city official are reluctant to ban the “safe and sane” varieties, because their sales are used to raise money for charitable causes.

“We could do harm to groups who do immeasurable good,” he said.

This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Fresno, Clovis allows watering for all residents on the Fourth."