Fireworks customers warned not to use fireworks in illegal locations

Highway 126 is the road to fireworks sales in Ventura County.

The city of Fillmore is the only city that allows nonprofits to benefit from the sale of fireworks and it is the only city in the county that allows them to be used for the week leading up to the Fourth of July.

Asst. Fire Chief Patrick Askren said they are often accused of looking the other way.

“We know they take them out of town. We try to discourage them. They are breaking the law,” said Askren.

He said bans can often make things worse.

“Other communities have tried to stop them and when they do that they bring in illegal fireworks from some place else and we invite people to come back to set off fireworks.”

Safe and Sane fireworks do not leave the ground and are sold in packages ranging from $10 to $500.

The money made goes to 25 nonprofits running stands that line the highway.

They include the Lions Club where one local Fire Captain volunteers to work each day.

Lions Club members hope to make about $25,000 after paying the bill for the fireworks sold.

They are the first stand on the west side of town.

The Future Farmers of America run a stand on the other end of town,

FFA earned the most money last year. FFA raised $38,000, enough to buy a new Chevy Suburban and to help students go to conventions and to the Ventura County Fair.

FFA volunteers hope to raise $40,000 this year.

Volunteers don’t seem to mind that other communities ban fireworks.

If fireworks were allowed everywhere, they said they don’t think they could raise as much money.

A portion of the money raised goes to a professional show that will take place in a park on Tuesday night.

Askren said Safe and Sane fireworks sales have not been linked to any fires in the area.