Yolo County declares a local health emergency after Esparto fireworks explosion
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- Yolo County declared a local health emergency after fireworks explosion in July.
- Officials cited possible contamination of soil, crops and water near Esparto site.
- State and federal agencies are assisting with hazardous materials assessment.
Yolo County top health official declared Monday a local health emergency to assess if hazardous material spread across soil, water and crops bordering an Esparto warehouse filled with fireworks that exploded in July and killed seven people.
A warehouse on a property belonging to Yolo County sheriff’s Lt. Sam Machado and his wife, Tammy Machado, burst into flames and spewed smoke for several hours July 1. Flames burned across 78 acres, called the Oakdale Fire by Cal Fire.
The California Department of Public Health and other state agencies have been aiding Yolo County’s Environmental Health Division to canvass the scene for potential contaminants dropped by fireworks in the weeks since. The explosives contain heavy metals and oxidizing agents, some of which could pose harmful for residents’ health, according to a county news release issued Monday.
“There is an immediate threat to the public health due to the Oakdale Fire, including but not limited to the potential hazards,” according to the local health emergency declaration signed by Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sission.
Monday’s declaration seeks further resources from state and federal officials to continue an environmental assessment. It does not mean that the site is “unsafe” but “acknowledges that the explosion site may pose health risks, and that testing is needed to determine its safety,” the release said.
“Any necessary remediation measures such as soil removal, water filtration, or targeted cleanup will be implemented in compliance with state and federal law,” the release said.
Residents living within a half-mile radius of the incident should avoid touching ash or debris. They are also recommended to refrain from touching food or water contaminated by those materials, according to the news release.
Monday’s local health emergency is different from a state of emergency declared July 8 by the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. Under that declaration, the board requested disaster response, law enforcement, investigative, financial and other assistance from state and federal agencies.
Officials will sample soil, water, vegetation and air around the explosion to test for contaminants. Then, depending on the test results, scientists and other county officials will “mitigate any identified environmental hazards in order to ensure the safety of people and animals” who live or work in the area, according to the news release.
In order to create colorful fireworks, the explosives may contain metals such as copper, potassium, strontium, barium, magnesium or aluminum, according to previous Bee reporting.
The spread of these chemicals is unknown and is dependent on the day’s wind speeds and weather conditions, according to previous Bee reporting.
Damage from the fire has led to legal action against the property owners, and businesses Devastating Pyrotechnics and BlackStar Fireworks. Both companies operated out of the Esparto facility.
Etta James Farming LLC, which owns acres of wheat and beans near the Esparto facility, filed a lawsuit last month seeking unspecified damages for the destruction wrought by the fireworks.
The clean-up of the facility could take months, county officials have previously said.
This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 11:38 AM.