4th of July illegal fireworks remain a fire hazard even after holiday has passed
Illegal fireworks remain a threat even after 4th of July
The 4th of July holiday weekend is over but local fire departments are still on high alert for the possibility of illegal fireworks.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The days after the Fourth of July can be the most dangerous for communities statewide. That’s because CAL FIRE says as many as 1,200 fires are ignited by fireworks across the state each year. History suggests that this week will see quite a few fires as people use up the last of their illegal stashes.
Close call in the North Bay
As people were crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to go see its fireworks show, Marin City had a close call from an errant and illegal firework. You could see evidence of it from boats in the bay.
Lifelong Marin City resident Donnie Roary's neighbors banged on his door.
"I came to the door, I could look out and saw the grass on fire out here and I got up and ran out because my car was parked right here in this area," Roary said.
A slew of firefighters responded. Another resident wrote KTVU saying that the perpetrators were so bold, they continued launching fireworks directly over the active fire and firefighters.
When the fire happened, fortunately the winds were not blowing. But, if they were blowing, this fire could have very easily gotten out of control.
"If it was windy, the wind would have blown the embers underneath our cars and our cars would have probably been set on fire," said Roary.
Illegal fireworks in Santa Rosa
Forty-five miles north, Santa Rosa's fire department had to deal with two illegal fireworks fires. "Those fireworks ignited a field that was in close proximity to a number of residents," said Santa Rose Fire Department’s Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal.
Santa Rosans have had enough.
"We continue to see those incidents, related to the illegal use, result in fires. Time and time again, especially in a community that's seen the amount of devastation, experienced the number of fires, not only in Santa Rosa, but across Sonoma County, continue to be put at risk during that unsafe use," said Fire Marshall Lowenthal.
Even at the Santa Rose Fairgrounds, perpetrators were bold. "We saw both before, during, and after that professional event the illegal use take place around the county and here locally in the city of Santa Rosa," said Lowenthal.
And it's not nearly over yet. "It is not uncommon, obviously, to see the use before the 4th of July, during the 4th of July, but then a number of days following it," said the Fire Marshal.
The precise cause of a one-and-a-half acre fire in Novato on Tuesday has yet to be determined. But, illegal fireworks are often a cause which Novato fire investigators are trying to determine. In any event, residents of four very, very close by cul-de-sacs were evacuated until given the all clear.