Fireworks Are Especially Dangerous During Drought. Here’s How To Use Them Safely.

Bangs, pops and crackles are familiar sounds in the days leading up to the Fourth of July weekend, with fireworks being set off in streets throughout California communities.

But while fireworks that have the California Fire Marshal’s “Safe and Sane” seal are legal, that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily safe.

“At least four grass fires have been started by fireworks this year,” said Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Battalion Chief Christopher Vestal. 

Fireworks can also cause injuries. Burns account for over 4,000 emergency room visits in the month around the Fourth of July, according to the National Fire Protection Association. 

Plus, there’s the issue of wildfires. Each year, fireworks start over 19,000 fires and are more dangerous in dry conditions like the ones Northern California is seeing this summer. Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a drought emergency in 41 Central Valley and Northern California counties as of May 10, including Sacramento, San Joaquin and Yolo Counties. 

The last time a California drought emergency was declared was from 2014 to 2017, but climate change, the hottest summer on record for several locations in Northern California and an exceptionally dry rainy season look to escalate drought conditions this year. 

“It’s hard to address climate change, but we can really make a dent in ignitions because that’s the piece that we have a little bit of control over right now,” Jennifer Balch, fire researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, told NPR. 

Sacramento County faces “exceptional drought”, along with 30% of the state.

Fire experts are urging people to take care with fireworks and, if possible, leave them at home, especially because of dry grass primed for easy ignition. There are currently already three major fires burning more than 38,000 acres in Northern California. No official cause of those fires has been determined.

“As a fire scientist, I’m bracing myself for this fire season because of how dry and hot it is already,” Balch told the Stockton Record. “I think fireworks right now are a terrible idea.”

Use “Safe and Sane” fireworks properly

Some of the "safe and sane" fireworks for sale at the Sutter Middle School fireworks booth. Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Just because fireworks have a “Safe and Sane” seal doesn’t mean you’re in the clear to use them. Different communities have different rules; here’s the list from 2020, but you still need to make sure you’ve checked with your local government’s rules before using Safe and Sane fireworks.

In Sacramento County, “Safe and Sane” fireworks can be used and purchased in all communities, including those that are unincorporated.

“Legal fireworks if used improperly are technically illegal,” said Vestal with Sac Metro Fire Department. 

Anyone under the age of 18 can’t use and light a firework even if supervised, and parents can be held liable for whatever damage or injury that happens. Altering legal fireworks in any way is also illegal. 

Using and transporting fireworks that fly, travel and explode are illegal. If convicted, you could be fined up to $50,000 and be sent to jail for up to one year. 

In San Joaquin County — an example of a county not on the 2020 list — “Safe and Sane” fireworks cannot be used or purchased in unincorporated communities.

“You shouldn’t be using alcohol or drugs when lighting fireworks,” said Stockton Fire Marshal James Klein. “Make sure that they’re on the ground, outdoors, lit on flat services like asphalt.” 

More safety and injury prevention tips can be found here. 

Keeping fireworks far away from combustibles

Vestal recommends lighting Safe and Sane fireworks at least 30 feet away from combustibles — grass and plants, lawn furniture and housing structures — and if there’s a breeze, widening that space. 

“If it’s too windy, just don’t use them,” Vestal said. “It’s not worth fire or injury.”

It’s also important to have materials to put fireworks out in case anything unexpected happens: a hose, fire extinguisher and a bucket of water.

Douse your fireworks before throwing them away

Once you’re done using your fireworks, give them a few minutes before approaching them because they may not have fully finished burning out. 

Then make sure to soak them in water overnight before putting them in a garbage can. 

Vestal said each year, he sees anywhere from three to five house fires where people disposed of fireworks incorrectly and put them in a garbage can while they were still hot. 

“Because people are asleep and it’s a late dispatch, where the fire is already advanced, there’s usually significant damage,” he said. 

How to report illegal fireworks 

Vestal urged people to use fireworks safely and to only use 911 for emergencies like an active fire or injury, because firefighters are stretched thin on July 4. 

“With 100, 150 calls in a couple of hours, there is no way that we can adequately respond to medical aid, grass fires, house fires in the way that we are normally able to,” he said. 

You can report illegal firework sale and usage in Sacramento County using the following:

• Unincorporated: 916-874-5115 or [email protected] 
• Sacramento: 916-808-3473(FIRE)​ or “Nail ‘Em” App
• Folsom: 916-355-7231 
• Elk Grove: [email protected]​ or “Nail ‘Em” App
• Rancho Cordova: 916-362-5115 
• Citrus Heights: 916-727-5500 
• Galt: 209-366-7000 

In San Joaquin County, Klein with the Stockton Fire Department said residents can use the Ask Stockton page to report or ask questions about illegal fireworks.

Other numbers to call in San Joaquin County for concerns and questions are:

• Stockton: 209-937-8271 
• Lodi: 209-333-6739 
• Lathrop-Manteca: 209-941-5101 
• Manteca: 209-456-8300 
• Tracy: 209-831-6700 
• Ripon: 209-599-4209 
• Escalon: 209-838-7500 
• San Joaquin County Community Development Fire Prevention Bureau: 209-468-3380

If you’re unsure where to report an incident, you can call 311 to be connected to the right place.

---

Follow us for more stories like this

---

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today