Safe and Sane Fireworks Legal in Few Local Cities

Fireworks are an iconic symbol of the Fourth of July, but before you go out and buy some to celebrate Independence Day, you might want to double-check that they are legal to use where you live.

The majority of our local cities do not permit any use of fireworks by the public. In fact, many cities are so strict that if you get caught using fireworks, even the safe and sane ones, you could be facing a $1,000 fine.

Fireworks are a Fourth of July tradition that, if mishandled, can quickly lead to a painful injury.

“In our opinion, there are no safe fireworks. Even though some are labeled as safe and sane, injuries occur from those. As a matter of fact, injuries occur from those fireworks frequently and require treatment in burn centers,” said Capt. Mike Lindbery of the Ventura County Fire Department.

Besides safety, firefighters are also concerned about fireworks becoming a fire starter during this prolonged drought.

“If we set these things off, we can end up with a fire quickly because every one of these fireworks gives off some sort of heat,” said Lindbery.

In California, firework laws are regulated by each individual city. Concerns over safety and fires have prompted all of Ventura County’s cities to ban the use of fireworks, except for one, and that’s Fillmore. Fillmore is a city that has a long-standing tradition of allowing nonprofit groups to sell safe and sane fireworks around the Fourth of July.

“It’s a small town. Yes, we still have fireworks but it really helps a lot of people,” said Ray Lloyd, of the Fillmore High Alumni group which sells fireworks.

The alumni group uses the money they make from firework sales to provide scholarships that help Fillmore teens go to college.

“The Fillmore High School Alumni Association really helped me be able to afford college because, as you know, tuition is very expensive and it is increasing every year. I am just happy they helped me with the financial part of it,” said a teen who just graduated from Fillmore High.

“We are all trained and told how to sell them and we also tell everyone that they are supposed to be let off in town and we have all the parks set up for that. So you can come in, buy your fireworks, set them off here at the park and have a great time with your family,” said Lloyd.

The cities in which you can legally set off safe and sane fireworks are Fillmore, Santa Maria, Guadalupe and Lompoc.

No matter where you live, the best way to enjoy fireworks on the Fourth of July legally is at a professional show being put on in your area.