In a unanimous vote by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, the Riverside County Fire Department was granted $100,000 for an action plan that cracks down on illegal fireworks use and provides alternative options.
“Riverside County enforces a zero tolerance policy for illegal use of fireworks,” Riverside County Fire Chief Bill Weiser told NBC Palm Springs this week. “There are some fun, legally permitted, outdoor shows that people can enjoy. They’re going to be great this year.”
With the funding approved by the board on June 7, approximately 30% will be used to pay code enforcement officers overtime ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, the NBC report said. The other 70% will be funneled into ad campaigns to discourage use of illegal fireworks.
“ALL fireworks, including sparklers, are illegal in Riverside County,” the Riverside County Fire Department said in a release on its website. “All fireworks are illegal because they cause serious injuries and very often, cause fires.”
Concern about fires is serious, considering the dry vegetation in the county’s diverse terrain that could “easily start a brush fire,” the release said.
Riverside County, along with the rest of California, is entering its dry season this month in what The Weather Channel is calling the third year of the state’s drought status. Because of these conditions, fireworks usage has an increased risk of sparking a wildfire.
When a similar action plan took effect last year, Riverside County managed to confiscate approximately 800 pounds of illegal fireworks, the NBC report said. Violators of the law are subject to citations, fines and even arrests.
The Riverside County Fire Department is compiling a list of all regulated fireworks shows and Independence Day celebrations happening across the county for display on its website, the report said.
