Bay Area residents in select cities can now buy certain fireworks in advance of the Fourth of July holiday after sales for the season opened yesterday.
If you live in Dublin, Pacifica, Tracy, San Bruno or Suisun City, fireworks stands are now selling fireworks — but only those deemed “safe and sane” by Cal Fire. The list includes hundreds of state-approved fireworks that Cal Fire says are less likely to cause injury, and generally won’t explode or fly.
But firefighters warn that even safe and sane fireworks can still be dangerous. Cal Fire’s Ben Nicholls says that “locally, roughly 99 percent of our fires are caused by humans."
Last week, hundreds in Pittsburg were forced to evacuate after fireworks caused a 120-acre brush fire. That was in Contra Costa County, where fireworks are illegal. In Brentwood, firework possession can result in felony charges, jail time, and fines up to five-thousand dollars.
Check with your city for restrictions on where and when fireworks can be set off — if at all.
To identify safe and sane fireworks, look for the State of California or State Fire Marshall logo on the firework or packaging.
