It’s not the 4th of July, but illegal fireworks are booming across Sacramento

With the Fourth of July on the horizon, quiet nights under lockdown across the Sacramento region have been punctuated with the whistle, crackle and bang of of illegal fireworks.

“We definitely have seen a large number of illegal fireworks being used, but that’s pretty standard for this time of year,” said Capt. Keith Wade, a spokesman for the Sacramento Fire Department.

For now, the pyrotechnics are illicit. It is only legal to buy and set off fireworks in Sacramento between June 28 and July 4, according to a social media post from the Sacramento Police Department. Products must be labeled ‘safe and sane.’

A boom in fireworks, legal or not, is typical for this time of year — but with the added factors of the pandemic and especially dry brush this season, fire authorities are concerned about what the nighttime cacophonies might spark.

“Because a lot more people are staying at home, a lot more people are going to be shooting off fireworks in the city,” Wade said.

Natural conditions this summer are also particularly volatile: “Things are hot, the grass is dry and the grass has grown really, really tall this year,” Wade said.

The Sacramento Fire Department and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District have already responded to grass fires reported to have been started by fireworks this summer, though investigations have yet to confirm their source.

Firework use in Sacramento County leading up to the Fourth has been on the rise for years and, as in years past, law enforcement officers from around the region are reporting more seizures of illegal devices.

How to report illegal fireworks

Wade told The Sacramento Bee in 2018 that in the 17 years he’d worked at the department, that year’s Fourth of July had among the highest rates of illegal firework use.

In 2018, Sacramento’s illegal firework task force seized 2,333 pounds of illegal fireworks and made several felony and misdemeanor arrests, according the Sacramento Police Department.

The department will “have officers dedicated to responding to fireworks related calls,” it said in the Facebook post. Police are encouraging residents to report illegal fireworks to 916-808-5471 or fireworks@pd.cityofsacramento.org.

What fireworks are allowed and where are they allowed?

The only legal fireworks for sale in Sacramento County are sold by suppliers TNT, Phantom and Discount Fireworks, and they have a “Safe and Sane” seal from the Office of the California State Fire Marshal. It’s also illegal to set off Safe and Sane fireworks in adjacent areas where all fireworks are banned.

In Placer and El Dorado counties, it’s illegal to use any fireworks, but “Safe and Sane” devices are allowed within Lincoln, Roseville and Rocklin city limits. In Yolo County, only Davis bans all fireworks.

This summer’s nightly cacophony of booms — which may be a catharsis amid the pandemic’s tension — has prompted push back from some Sacramento residents.

A petition circulating on change.org calling for the “Ban All Personal Fireworks in Sacramento City and County,” had garnered over 2,200 signatures as of Tuesday.

Fireworks are “a massive noise nuisance in cities, they pollute, they cause fires, they traumatize animals, children with PTSD, war veterans and thousands of Americans are injured or maimed by them every year,” the petition said.

More fireworks tips

• According to the city of Sacramento website, ‘safe and sane’ fireworks use is limited to noon on June 28 through midnight on July 4.
• Avoid buying from places like Craigslist as it can be difficult to identify if fireworks are legal and safe. Cal Fire says the state defines illegal fireworks as anything that goes up in the air or explodes. And use of illegal fireworks can carry heavy fines or even jail time.
• To report illegal firework usage, call the Sacramento Police department at 916-264-5471 or the Sacramento Fire Department arson tip line at 916-808-8732.
• There is also a phone app called Nail ‘em that is available for Android and iPhone users to report illegal fireworks in their area.

This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 2:12 PM.