Celebrating The 4th Safely
San Andreas — With the 4th of July holiday on its way, CAL Fire has an important reminder for Mother Lode residents.
Possessing or using any type of fireworks is illegal in all of Tuolumne County and all federal lands in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties, including the Stanislaus National Forest. Fines for violations start at $240.00 and enforcement actions range from misdemeanor citations to felony custody arrests.
“You can use “Safe and Sane” fireworks in Calaveras County with the exception of the Ebbetts Pass Fire District and the Central Fire Protection District,” said CAL Fire Prevention Specialist Nancy Longmore. “But those have to be the ones that are marked “Safe and Sane” when you buy them from a legitimate stand.”
CAL Fire says legal fireworks include the “Safe and Sane” logo from the California State Fire Marshal on the packaging but some illegal fireworks, especially those from out of the country, may have a forged logo on them. If you are not sure if your fireworks are legal, you can contact your nearest CAL Fire facility or local fire station.
Because the Mother Lode is so dry and vulnerable to fire, CAL Fire’s Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit Chief Mike Noonan suggests rather than using fireworks in legal areas, to instead plan to attend some of the professionally-produced public firework displays in the area.
Written by tina.falco@mlode.com
