How California can prevent another Esparto fireworks explosion | Opinion

I don’t consider myself a whistleblower.

I’m a public policy consultant with more than 35 years of working on public safety issues in California, including representing the state’s leading wholesale distributor of State Fire Marshal-approved fireworks. I’ve worked with fire officials and law enforcement to improve safety and enforcement.

Two years before the explosion in Esparto that killed seven people on July 1, 2025, I shared information with state fire officials that, in hindsight, should have led somewhere.

In June 2023, after a fireworks-related incident in San Jose, I became curious about the source of those illegal fireworks. Using import data, I identified a company bringing large volumes of fireworks into California that appeared inconsistent with state law. I passed that information along.

In the months that followed, additional warning signs emerged. A major enforcement action in Southern California uncovered large quantities of illegal aerial fireworks and explosives tied to the same network.

Then came Esparto, and everything changed. On July 1, 2025, an explosion at a rural warehouse in Yolo County exposed a large-scale illegal aerial fireworks and explosives operation. Seven people lost their lives in an explosion that appears to have been preventable.

As lawmakers now consider Senate Bill 828, authored by Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, D-Napa — legislation aimed at strengthening fireworks enforcement and oversight — the question is no longer what happened, but how to prevent the next tragedy.

At a recent press conference announcing criminal indictments, prosecutors made a critical distinction: these were not simply illegal fireworks, but powerful explosive devices designed for consumer sales. That shows how far the problem has moved beyond traditional enforcement.

The recent criminal indictments make clear this was not just a failure of detection. They suggest local oversight may, in some cases, have been compromised — underscoring the need for stronger coordination and accountability.

The answer begins with an uncomfortable truth: Esparto was not simply a failure of laws. California already has substantial authority — licensing, inspection, seizure and reporting requirements.

The problem is that this authority was not always used in a coordinated and effective way. Relevant intelligence existed. Enforcement actions occurred. But no sustained intervention took place.

That matters. If we misdiagnose the problem, we will repeat it.

Much of the current discussion has focused on expanding regulations on licensed operators — those already complying with the law. But Esparto points in a different direction: The greatest risks come from illegal supply chains operating outside the system (importation, transportation, warehousing and large-scale distribution of illegal aerial fireworks and explosive materials).

That is where policy must focus.

California’s response must focus on three priorities: shifting enforcement upstream to disrupt illegal supply chains before they reach communities; improving coordination so that critical information — import data, licensing records and local site awareness — is shared and acted upon in real time; and ensuring enforcement resources match the scale of the problem.

State capacity has not kept pace with increasingly complex illegal activity, and sustainable funding — one that does not rely on the General Fund — would allow agencies to expand investigations and disrupt illegal operations before they escalate. This effort must also extend beyond California’s borders, requiring coordination with neighboring states, ports and federal partners.

None of these steps require penalizing those who follow the law. They reinforce a system where legal activity is clearly distinguished from illegal and dangerous behavior.

Esparto should never have happened. But if we fail to learn from it — if we continue to focus on the wrong targets while illegal supply chains grow more sophisticated — it will not be the last tragedy.

We know enough now to do better.

Dennis C. Revell is president and CEO of Revell Communications. For more than 35 years, he has represented the state’s leading wholesale distributor of State Fire Marshal-Approved fireworks and has worked in partnership with state and local agencies to advance enforcement, safety and public education solutions to address illegal fireworks.